Comprehensive Vision Care in Everett, WA
About 45% of children younger than 18 have a diagnosed visual impairment such as Myopia or astigmatism. As people get older, they are more likely to experience some form of visual impairment associated with aging or injury. See your eye care doctor regularly, even if you don’t have any noticeable changes in your vision. Regular eye exams help to catch eye diseases and other systemic health conditions early and help prevent vision loss.
What is Preventive Optometry?
Preventive optometry focuses on eye and vision care that diagnoses, treats, and prevents diseases and conditions of the eye and visual system. An important aspect of preventive optometry is a comprehensive eye exam.
Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to an eye exam than visual acuity tests. Visual acuity tests involve the assessment of the reading capacity of eyes from a given distance. A complete eye examination covers deeper aspects of the visual function. It includes a vision screening and a series of tests to evaluate the health of your eyes, visual acuity tests, glaucoma tests, slit lamp exams, eye focusing, and ophthalmoscopy.
What Happens at an Eye Exam?
Here’s what you can expect at your eye exam appointment:
- Test and evaluate your vision and check for diseases: During your appointment, Dr. Lenning will examine each eye for signs of visual or eye health problems such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and detached retinas, among other conditions. We will then assess and evaluate the testing results to determine a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
- Contact lens evaluation if wanted: If you currently have glasses or contact lenses, Dr. Lenning can evaluate them to see if you need prescription changes.
Why are Regular Eye Exams Important?
Regular eye examinations are an important part of preventive health care. While many eye diseases have easily noticeable symptoms, some cause symptoms that change slowly or don’t occur until late in the disease process. If detected early and treated, many eye diseases can be corrected, or the disease process slowed so your vision loss can be reduced.
What Diseases Can Be Detected With Regular Eye Care?
The benefits of regular eye exams with your optometrist go well beyond keeping your eyes in working order – it can detect several eye diseases, including:
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Strabismus (cross-eyes)
- Refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
- Retinal detachment
- Amblyopia (inconsistent processing of images by the brain from both eyes)
- Macular degeneration
- Diabetic eye disease, including diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema
- Retinal degeneration
- Eye cancer
- Keratoconus
- Dry Eye
Close evaluation of the blood vessels in the eye can help detect major health problems, including:
- Thyroid disorder
- Parkinson’s disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart disease
- Multiple sclerosis
How Often Should You Have an Eye Exam?
Several factors, such as age, health, and Factors of vision problems, determine how often you need vision care. Children should receive routine eye health and vision screenings throughout childhood to help detect any abnormalities as their eyes develop.
Children should have an initial exam between 6-12 months of age, a comprehensive eye exam between the ages of 3 and 5, and another one before they enter first grade. After that, children should have an annual eye exam. For adults, the American Optometric Association (AOA) suggests the following frequencies for adult eye exams based on age:
- 18-64: At least every 2 years
- 65 and up: Annually
However, if you wear corrective lenses, exhibit serious vision trouble or eye discomfort, have a family history of eye disease, or have a chronic condition that increases your risk of eye disease, you may need more frequent eye exams.
Schedule an Eye Exam Today!
Regular eye exams can help identify eye health problems early on and improve vision quality if you need prescription changes. At Novel Eyes, we provide comprehensive eye exams in Everett, WA. If you’re due for an eye exam, have noticed any changes in your vision, or have a medical condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment today!
