5 Reasons Eye Exams are Important

Annual eye exams are the best safeguard against serious eye problems developing later on. Below we’ve compiled five reasons why everyone in Columbia, SC, should get their eyes examined each year.

1. Nearsightedness is quickly becoming an epidemic
The number of children diagnosed with myopia (nearsightedness) is growing more quickly, and children are developing it at an earlier age. Myopia tends to get worse over time and can put children at risk for serious eye conditions later in life. Regular annual eye exams are the best way to catch any sight issues early on and for the doctor to prescribe your best treatment options to slow the disease progression.

2. Good vision is important for academic success
With the amount of screen-time for kids increasing every year and the fact that at least 80% of the curriculum children are expected to master requires good vision, detecting sight issues early on can be important to ensure your child’s success in school. 

3. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the hardest eye diseases to detect early on because it has no symptoms until it’s in the advanced stages. If left untreated, the disease can lead to permanent eye damage and vision loss. Routine eye exams can catch glaucoma earlier, and eye doctors can begin treatments to slow the disease progression.

4. Other health problems can be detected through eye exams
Many other diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer can be detected through an annual eye exam. Blood vessels in your retinas display changes in blood supply and any blood vessel changes in the rest of your body, helping doctors detect these other diseases early on. Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of blindness among adults in the US and can only be detected by a comprehensive eye exam.

5. Vision screenings aren’t the same thing as an eye exam
Vision screenings only serve to identify severe vision issues with specific tasks. They are not able to ensure your vision is without issue, and they don’t screen for any of the eye diseases listed above. Only a comprehensive eye exam by an eye doctor ensures you are free from any potential vision issues.

Even if you are confident, you have perfect vision; keeping up with annual eye exams is the way to ensure it stays that way. 

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