No matter what your age, an eye exam is an important part of preserving your vision and overall health. Even if you are between the ages of 20 and 40, an eye exam can often reveal developing health issues that aren’t easily found any other way.
In general, a comprehensive eye exam every two years will ensure that your eyes stay healthy. However, if you have a medical condition like diabetes, you will need to have more frequent eye exams. Beyond that, there are some signs that should have you going to the eye doctor, even if you aren’t due for a visit.
The following 8 symptoms indicate the need for an eye exam. In some cases, immediate medical attention may be required.
Sudden Blurry Vision
Focusing problems or sudden blurry vision can be signs of a larger health issue. Always take these symptoms seriously. If blurry vision comes and goes or is limited to one eye, schedule an exam as soon as possible.
Sudden Appearance of Floaters
The sudden onset of floaters, flashes of light or obstruction of vision could be signs of serious, vision-threatening disorders such as retinal detachment, retinal tear or a retinal hole. If you experience any of these disturbances seek immediate medical attention from an optometrist, ophthalmologist or emergency room physician to minimize vision loss.
Gradual Blurring of Vision
If you notice that you are moving a book or the computer screen further away from your eyes than you used to in order to improve clarity, it’s probably time to have your eyes examined.
Headaches
If you experience frequent headaches it could be a sign of a vision problem. While changes in vision are often imperceptible to the patient, headaches can be one of the early warning signs of a change in vision.
Eye Pain or Eye Fatigue
Infrequent eye pain or eye strain isn’t usually a big problem because everything from lack of sleep to seasonal allergies or colds and flu can cause temporary eye pain. However, if you’re experiencing ongoing eye pain for more than a few days or eye pain with eye movements, have your eyes checked. These symptoms can sometimes be caused by eye infections or more serious health conditions.
Squinting
Squinting is a sure sign that it’s time for an eye exam. This is often one of the first signs that a child may need glasses. Detecting eye problems in children early enough will prevent permanent vision loss.
Light Sensitivity
You should have an eye exam if you experience a sudden onset of sensitivity to light. Light sensitivity can be a symptom of a variety of eye diseases or disorders or an eye infection.
Eye Infections
An eye infection can manifest as swelling of the eyelids, itchiness, redness, pink discolouration of the whites of the eyes and/or discharge. Have an eye doctor exam your eyes immediately.
