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Posted by: The Eye Center of North Florida in News & Community, August 5, 2020

Eye exams aren’t just about vision. They’re about your health.

Prevention Is the Best Treatment

Eye exams at every age and life stage can help keep your vision healthy. Without regular eye exams, there is no way to catch glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration for an early diagnosis to slow their progress and to keep vision loss to a minimum. Eye diseases are common and can go unnoticed for a long time, and some have no symptoms at first.  A comprehensive eye exam by your eye doctor at The Eye Center of North Florida is essential for your overall health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 11 million Americans over the age of 12 need vision correction. This is just one of the many reasons to get an eye exam. 

Here are a few prevalent daily threats to the health of your eyes that makes an annual eye exam a must:

Eye Strain Decreases Productivity

During this time, more people are working and learning from home using virtual technology to connect with office teams, teachers, family, and friends, where most of our time is being spent in front of a computer screen. As well as additional hours looking at our smartphones, can lead to a lot of digital eye strain. If you have been experiencing symptoms like blurred visions, dry eyes, and frequent headaches, eye strain could be the culprit. At an eye exam, the doctors at The Eye Center of North Florida can discuss ways to minimize the effects of screen time and make a plan for avoiding that strain.

Dry Eyes

Did you know dry eye symptoms are one of the top reasons people go to the eye doctor? Dry eyes are more than uncomfortable, they can impact your vision and the overall health of your eye.  Dry eye vision is blurry vision and ongoing irritation that can lead to significant damage to your cornea. There have been significant advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye that can provide relief.

Sun Damage

Summer fun spending time with your family in the backyard or a summer drive exposes you to UV sun rays. While sun damage is more closely linked to skin cancer, the threat to your eyes is just as significant.  Wearing UV blocking sunglasses is important (Pro Tip: Look for sunglasses labeled UV 400). 

Eye Health Is Connected to Overall Health

Eye exams are not just important for the sake of checking that your eyes are healthy and working the way they should, they’re also a great way to get a look at how you’re doing in terms of overall health. The eye doctor may be the first one to spot early symptoms of chronic conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even cancer, all from a standard eye exam!

The Eye Center of North Florida is a resource for your eye health patient education. If it has been a while since we last saw you, give us a call at 850-784-3937 to schedule your appointment!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding a medical condition.