How to Go About Your Annual Eye Examination

Just like your teeth, your eyes need to undergo routine inspection too so that you can stay on top of their health. Eye exams allow you to determine if you have any eye-related medical conditions that you might not know about, and assess the grade of your vision. If you are visiting your local optometrist soon, you might want to prepare a little checklist of things to do to make the most out of your visit.

Mention the current state of your health

Some health conditions can adversely affect your eyes, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, pregnancy, allergies, and so on. It is important to inform your optometrist of any medical disorders you might be currently experiencing. This way, the professional can properly diagnose your eyesight while accounting for your health.

Discuss your family’s health history

Certain medical conditions that affect the eye, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, can sometimes be genetic in origin. If one of your relatives has suffered from a particular eye disease, it is worth mentioning to your optometrist. You may also be at risk of developing the same conditions, but an optometrist might be able to confirm it and could refer you to a specialist for proper treatment.

Note any changes in vision

If your vision is suddenly affected by things such as blurriness, flashes of light, spots, and other weird sights, they might be symptoms of a developing eye disease. Share these details immediately with an optometrist to confirm, and see if you can have it treated by an eye doctor.

Enumerate any medications you are taking

The side effects of some medicines can cause vision problems, so it is worth listing them down for your optometrist to take note of. On some rare occasions, some medicines, when taken together, can interact with each other to dangerous effect. Make sure your optometrist knows all about the drugs you have taken recently before he or she prescribes an eye medication.

Describe your lifestyle

Your lifestyle could have an adverse effect on your eyesight, especially if you are not being careful. Do you like reading in the dark? Do you spend hours upon hours staring in front of a computer? Are you a heavy drinker? These things, and many more, can cause visual deterioration. Your optometrist should be able to dispense helpful tips to prevent vision loss while recommending eyesight correction solutions.