Regular trips to the ophthalmologist go beyond checking your vision. Your eyes can give eye doctors a glimpse into a number of health conditions before other symptoms present, so should be a part of your regular health check-up.
Regular eye exams are important to check your vision, particularly if you wear glasses or contact lenses. As well as checking your eyesight, your ophthalmologist will assess the overall health of your eyes and look at things like blood vessels, your optic nerve, and any signs of glaucoma.
Whilst checking the health of your eyes, doctors are often able to identify issues relating to other parts of the body that have not yet been identified.
Some of the issues that are often first noticed during an eye exam include:
- Diabetes: A condition called diabetic retinopathy causes bleeding and swelling in the eye, and it is not unusual for an eye doctor to be the first to notice the symptoms of diabetes
- Hypertension: High blood pressure can cause changes in the small blood vessels in the eye, but won’t affect vision until a later stage of the condition
- Inflammatory conditions: Inflammation in the eye is often connected to inflammatory conditions in other parts of the body, such as the bowel and colon.
So, with routine eye check ups being an important part of your overall health routine, just how often should you have an eye exam?
The team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Eye Institute recommend yearly eye exams, not only to protect your vision, but your overall health as well. If you have a family history of diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure, talk to your ophthalmologist as you may need more regular check-ups.
What to expect at your eye check up
The type of examination you have will vary depending on your specific needs. You will be asked a series of questions about your eye health and about any family history of certain conditions. Your eyesight will then be checked to see if you need glasses or if your current prescription needs to be altered. The health of your eye will then be checked. This may involve the use of dilating drops and lights to give the eye doctor a really clear view of the inside of your eyes.
All round eye health
As well as regular eye check ups, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Eye Institute’s eye specialists recommend the following to help maintain good eye health:
- Eat wellResearch has shown that eating a balanced diet, which contains a number of key nutrients, is beneficial to protecting your vision. These include vitamin A, which helps protect the surface of the eyes, vitamin C which reduces the risk of developing cataracts, and lutein, which in found in green vegetables and is believed to filter harmful light as it enters the eyes.
- Protect your eyes from the sunLots of exposure to UV rays from the sun over time can cause a number of problems to your eyes. Wearing sunglasses which offer UV protection can help to prevent vision loss, cataracts and even eye cancers.
- Rest your eyesWe spend a lot of our day looking at screens; computers, phones and the TV which can cause eye strain. Eye doctors recommend the 20/20/20 rule; every 20 minutes, look away from the screen for 20 seconds, at something that is at least 20 feet away. And remember to blink regularly!
Regular eye check ups are essential in assessing both your vision and your overall eye health. Talk to your ophthalmologist to schedule your eye exam.