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The human eye is a very sensitive organ. It supplies over 70% of your sensory perception of your environment, thus helping you to appreciate your environment and perform complex tasks required for your daily work. Like every other part of the human body, your eyes need good care and health maintenance in order to function properly and serve you till you reach a good old age.
Below are top 3 reasons you should have a yearly eye examination.
1. GENERAL HEALTH
Your yearly eye exam is a good way to know the general state of your health. Why is this? The reason is because, since the eyes are not separate from the body, many diseases that affect the general body usually have effects on the eye also, and these effects may be picked up by your eye doctor, even when the main disease has not manifested fully yet. These are called ocular manifestations of systemic disease. Diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, sickle cell, H.I.V, syphilis to name a few, all show up in the eye. Sometimes, even before the general medical practitioner picks them up. Through your yearly eye exam, many conditions may be detected and prompt management begun. When you consider the fact that a complete eye exam at a standard eye care facility is also a way to know the general state of your health, it becomes more pressing to have your yearly eye exam.
2. A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE
Most eye conditions may remain in the eye for long periods of time UNDETECTED. Two good examples are GLAUCOMA and DIABETIC RETINOPATHY. By having your yearly eye exam, such potentially blinding diseases may be discovered and, managed early, before they become advanced and vision threatening. Think of it, 50% of glaucoma sufferers do not know they have the condition. They only come to the hospital when the glaucoma has reached a stage when it begins to interfere greatly with their daily functions. Do not visit the eye hospital only when you have eye related problems, visit to have your much needed routine eye exam. And when you feel you don’t need that eye examination, ask yourself “what disease could be lurking in my eye right now?” that should give you the right jump-start to take your yearly eye exam more seriously.
3. ASSURANCE OF WELLNESS
Having your regular eye exam is a good way to know for certainty, the current state of your eyes. It is very assuring when you go through a complete eye exam and at the end, your doctor says to you “all is well with your eyes”. This is a good way to kill your fears and anxieties concerning your eye health. Some people make mountains out of a small eye related symptom or complaint. For example, I once saw a patient who got so depressed because of his increasing difficulty reading small prints. He came to the hospital and asked “Doctor am I going blind? I can’t read a book or text messages anymore.” After examining him, we discovered he had PRESBYOPIA. I proceeded to educate and counsel him on the condition, in addition to giving him a good pair of glasses. He became very relieved and reassured.
When next you feel like not getting your yearly eye examination, remember it may reveal a hidden systemic condition you may have; it may lead to early diagnosis of a hidden eye condition or it may just give you the assurance that all is well with your eyes. So why not just do it?
We at the CENTRE FOR SIGHT AFRICA have invested a lot in manpower and state of the art equipment to ensure you have access to quality, affordable eye care. Take advantage of it today. Visit us for that thorough eye examination.