Have you had an eye exam lately? If not, it’s time to contact your local Phoenix optometrist for a checkup!
Optometrists and other eye doctors strongly recommend annual checkups, even if you don’t think your eyesight has changed. There are many vision disorders that can be detected early, before they show symptoms, as well as other clear benefits.
When checkups are inexpensive, there’s really no good reason to avoid a yearly exam.
Why Your Family Needs Annual Eye Exams
1 – Eyesight changes over time
As we age, our eyes are often one of the first things to start going wrong. Someone who has excellent eyesight in their youth, even into middle-age, can easily develop a need for corrective lenses as they get older. Likewise, people who already need glasses will typically require stronger prescriptions over time.
Having regular checkups ensures your vision is always as good as it can be.
2 – Myopia is on the rise
One very concerning trend in optometry is a notable increase in patients with myopia, aka near-sightedness – where you can see close-up, but not far away. Children are developing myopia earlier, and adults are going near-sighted at higher rates as well. Some estimates suggest that by 2050 roughly half the entire human population will be myopic.
The causes of this are debated (but probably linked to our increased use of screens), but either way, everyone needs to be watching out for myopia.
3 – Detecting glaucoma early
Glaucoma is one of the most serious eye diseases, a progressive loss of vision that can lead to blindness. Fortunately, it can be detected and corrected for very early on – but only if you get regular testing.
4 – Eye exams spot other problems
Your eye health and body health are more closely linked than you might realize! A wide range of diseases, including diabetes, high cholesterol, and some cancers, create symptoms in the eyes early on. An eye exam can actually be your early warning for much more serious issues which are developing.
5 – Eye exams help children succeed
If you have small children, do not neglect their vision care! A child has no way of recognizing if their vision is bad – but poor eyesight can significantly harm their school performance. If they need glasses, it’s best to know this as early as possible.
So, if it’s been more than a year since you or someone in your family has had an eye checkup, it’s past time. Contact Valley Eyecare Center in Phoenix for an appointment!
