If you are like many people, you may think that getting a routine eye appointment is not a priority. After all, you can see just fine, right? However, there are many reasons why you and your loved ones should visit an eye doctor regularly, even if you haven't noticed any vision problems.

Eye Exams Can Help Children Succeed in School

Much of what children are expected to learn in and outside the classroom requires good vision. If your child has undetected vision problems, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or lazy eye, they may struggle with reading, writing, math, and other academic skills.

They may also have difficulty with sports and social activities. By having your child's eyes examined each year, you can help ensure that they can see clearly during classes.

Myopia Is Common

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a condition where distant objects appear blurry, while objects closer to them are clear. It is caused by the eyeball growing too long or the cornea being too curved. Myopia has become common among children and adults worldwide. Scheduling annual eye exams is the best way to assess your risk of myopia and take preventive measures, such as wearing glasses, contact lenses, or orthokeratology lenses, or undergoing refractive surgery.

Vision Screenings Alone Are Not Enough

You may think that passing a vision screening at school or the motor vehicle department means you have perfect vision. However, vision screenings alone are not comprehensive and can miss many vision problems and eye diseases.

To ensure that your vision is normal, you need a comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.  In addition, an eye exam can help confirm that your eyes are healthy and that serious eye conditions have not developed.

Glaucoma Is Detectable

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. It is often caused by high pressure inside the eye, but it can also occur with normal or low pressure.

Glaucoma can lead to blindness in older people. The scary thing is that glaucoma usually has no symptoms until it causes irreversible vision loss. The only way to detect glaucoma early and prevent or slow down its progression is to have regular eye exams that measure your eye pressure and assess your optic nerve health.

Serious Health Problems Are Linked to Eye Health

Annual eye exams can detect other serious health problems. Your eyes are not only the windows to your soul but also to your body. A thorough eye exam can reveal signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lupus, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and even some types of cancer.

If you need an eye exam, contact the office of an eye doctor in your local area.

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