If you wear glasses or contact lenses, chances are your eye examination is a bit overdue (or in my case, very overdue. My bad). But it´s not only those of us with known eye problems who need to have regular checks. Everyone should have an eye examination from time to time, even if they think their vision is perfect, so that any issues can be detected early on. It´s so important to look after your sight. Here are 7 reasons to get yourself to the eye doctor.
If you are a driver, it is absolutely essential that your prescription is up to date. You might not notice any changes in your eyesight that mean you need new glasses or contacts. I’m sure all our readers are responsible enough to want to drive safely, so make sure you get regular eye examinations. Even if you don’t wear glasses, it’s worth getting tested so that you know your sight is good enough for driving.
Many of us spend a lot of time on computers these days, whether for work or leisure. You probably already know about the need to take regular breaks to rest your eyes, but what about getting them checked? Under some circumstances, employers in the UK are obliged to pay for eye examinations for their staff. Make sure that your computer use is not giving you eye strain.
Opticians are not just there to check your prescription and sell you glasses. They can also be invaluable in other ways, as your eyes can show indications of health problems. So opticians can pick up signs of high blood pressure or diabetes. There was even a case of one detecting problems which led a diagnosis of a brain tumour. Such a drastic case is rare, but an eye exam can help get you treated early for other conditions.
Let’s face it, you only get one pair of eyes! Look after those peepers and get them checked regularly. If you’re going to develop eye problems, you might as well know about it. There are so many fabulously funky frames now that wearing glasses is nothing to worry about – in fact, it can be cool!
Even if you don’t wear glasses now, chances are you will need to do so in the future. Most people end up using reading glasses in their 40s or 50s. That’s just something that happens with age. So if you’re starting to approach your 40s, get that eye examination done.
As previously mentioned, an eye test can show up diabetes-related problems. These can potentially be quite serious, so it’s important to get regular checks if you are diabetic. Specialist centres offer annual screening, so don’t miss that appointment.
‘But my eyes are fine! There’s nothing wrong with my sight!’ you might think. Well, how do you know for sure? It’s far better to get them tested and be told by a professional that everything’s fine, than to assume it’s ok and then find out you’ve been unaware that you actually need glasses.
In short, it’s really important to look after your eyesight. We take our eyes for granted and just assume that they are working fine. Get an eye examination and you will know for sure if your sight is fine or if there is something that needs to be corrected. And it doesn’t hurt! See it as part of a general ‘maintenance’ programme, like going to the gym. Do you wear glasses, and have you made them part of your image?
Top Photo Credit: static2.thrivesmart.com