In the United States, around 93 million adults are at high risk for serious vision loss. Despite this fact, only half of them visited an eye doctor in the past 12 months.
Your vision is a huge part of your life and health. Taking it for granted can lead to eye problems and complications. Left untreated, these issues can become more severe and more difficult to treat. So if you haven’t been to the optometrist lately, now is the best time to go.
Here are the 7 major tell-tale signs you need to set up an eye doctor appointment and get your vision checked.
1. Your Vision Is Blurry
Blurry vision is the first major sign you need to see an eye doctor. Blurriness can be a symptom of nearsightedness, farsightedness, irritation, surface eye damage, or spending too much time in front of screens.
You’ll never know until you see an eye doctor who will make sure you get your vision back. If the blurriness doesn’t go away on its own, schedule an appointment right away.
2. You Have Trouble Reading From Up Close
If you’re not able to read the newspaper, books, or your phone up close, you need to schedule an eye exam. Sometimes your eyes may be tired from sitting in front of a screen all day so your vision is temporarily blurry.
But if this doesn’t go away on its own in a day, it might be the beginning of Presbyopia. This is a normal process of aging of the eye during which it slowly loses its ability to focus on objects in front of it. Your doctor will prescribe seeing aids so you can see great again.
If you’re younger and still can’t see up close, book an eye exam immediately. Early detection is key to preventing more serious eye problems down the line. The same goes for your kids — if you notice them having trouble reading their textbooks or homework, it’s time to get their eyes checked.
3. Difficulty Seeing When Doing Daily Activities
If you’re suddenly bumping into things while doing your daily activities, can’t read what’s on TV, or do any work without squinting or making mistakes, choosing an eye doctor for an exam is a priority.
This is especially urgent if you work with machinery or handle heavy or sharp objects. Refusing to get checked can lead to injury either at home or at your workplace, so why risk it?
When your vision negatively affects your daily life, it’s time for a checkup. Your eye doctor will examine you thoroughly and give you a treatment plan. You may need glasses, eye drops, or medication, and your life will start getting back to normal.
4. You Struggle With Eye Pressure
If you feel pressure in your eyeballs or behind the eyes, this is a telltale sign something is not right with your eye health. Increased eye pressure is a symptom of glaucoma, high blood pressure, head or eye injuries, and more.
Eye pressure can be extremely uncomfortable and even painful. If the symptoms are extreme, they can cause nausea, cluster headaches, throbbing pain in the eye, and blurry vision.
A simple eye exam will tell you exactly what the cause is and your doctor will prescribe eye drops or medication to treat your condition. If the eye pressure is related to your lifestyle, your doctor will recommend some lifestyle and diet changes to help relieve and lower the pressure.
5. You Have Frequent Headaches
Though headaches can be a symptom of a plethora of health conditions, they can also indicate an eye problem. For instance, if you spend your workday in front of a computer, your eyes will get tired. This can cause eye strain which then leads to headaches.
Another cause of headaches related to eye problems is Astigmatism, which means you have blurred vision at all distances. Monocular vision is another one, which means one of your eyes does the majority of the work.
High eye pressure can also cause headaches, so it’s best to schedule an eye exam to see what’s happening. Even if your doctor rules out any eye problems, at least you’ll know what to do next. You’ll do further tests to see why you have constant headaches and get to the root of the problem.
6. It’s Been a While Since You’ve Had an Eye Exam
Has it been years since you last did an eye exam? Then it’s time for a new one. Even if your eyes feel okay to you, you should still schedule an appointment to make sure everything is healthy.
When choosing an optometrist, go for a doctor and medical team that’ll make you feel comfortable and safe. The eyes are sensitive organs so you want to feel relaxed and taken care of at the optometrist’s office.
7. If Your Eyes Are Itchy, Red, or Constantly Irritated
If your eyes are constantly irritated, itchy, yellow, or red, or you have a lot of broken blood vessels that don’t heal, you need to see an optometrist. Sometimes, irritation happens because of dust, air pollutants, or allergies but it can also be a symptom of an eye problem.
An eye doctor will examine your eyes and see if there are any damages or scratches on the cornea. This is not something you can see on your own. The optometrist will use special machines and technology to examine your eyes and determine what’s causing the problem.
Schedule Your Next Eye Doctor Appointment With the Eye Pros Today
Whether you have blurry vision and can’t see as clearly as before or have tension in your eyes and head, an eye doctor appointment will tell you exactly what’s happening.
Your eyes are your windows to the world and vision is not something you should take for granted. As soon as you notice any changes, you need to get proactive and visit an eye doctor.
Find your nearest Eye Pros location and give us a call to make an appointment with us. We’ll make sure you have a pleasant visit with us and take care of your eye health needs and concerns right away.
