4 Things You Can Get From Regular Optometrist Appointments
Optometrists are better known as eye doctors. They fit patients for glasses, write prescriptions for corrective eyewear, help patients overcome eye infections, and more. When you're busy, a trip to the eye doctor may seem like a waste of time, especially if you think your vision is fine. However, it's never a bad time to see your optometrist. These are four of the things you can do when you see your eye doctor for regular appointments.
1. Keep your prescriptions up to date.
Glasses and contacts are commonly used to correct the vision of people who suffer from vision problems. In order to derive the most benefit from your glasses or contacts, you'll need to wear a pair in the right prescription. Glasses prescriptions should be updated every two years, and contact prescriptions should be updated annually. You can develop headaches by wearing eyewear in the wrong prescription, so it's important to make the time to see your eye doctor.
2. Prevent blindness.
If you're in good health, blindness may seem like a distant possibility. However, there are several eye conditions that can cause blindness when not properly treated. Many of these conditions can go undetected if you don't have your eyes examined regularly. Your eye doctor will perform exams that will check the health of your optic nerve and look for the presence of cataracts. These quick, painless exams can help you keep your eyes healthy, so you can continue to enjoy good vision throughout your life.
3. Stop chronic eye irritation.
Everyone's eyes get irritated from time to time. A speck of dust or an eyelash can get in your eye and make it itch. This problem is easily resolved by flushing your eyes out with water or saline, but other forms of irritation can cause longer-lasting problems. An eye doctor can assist people who struggle with chronic eye irritation. Chronic eye irritation can be caused by allergies, insufficient tear production, or infections. Once your eye doctor finds the cause of your discomfort, they can treat the problem using antihistamine medication, eye drops, or antibiotics.
4. Obtain specialty eyewear in your prescription.
Your glasses prescription will allow you to get the spectacles you need for daily wear, but you may need specialty eyewear for other occasions. Luckily, you'll be able to use your glasses prescription to get any other eyewear you need as well. You can purchase prescription goggles for underwater use or prescription sunglasses for use on land. Some eye doctors even sell these products directly to patients.
To learn more, reach out to a clinic like Northwest Ophthalmology.
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