“The eyes are the window to the soul” is a famous saying we have all heard. What many of us do not know is that the eyes are also a “window” in to assessing ones systemic health as well as ocular health. Systemic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, brain tumours, multiple sclerosis and colon cancer are amongst some of the conditions that can be picked up from an individual’s routine eye examination. Ocular conditions that can be picked up in a routine eye examination to name a few include glaucoma, cataracts, age related macular degeneration, keratoconus, etc., as well as other congenital anomalies. Early diagnosis of these conditions is key in order to prevent sight loss and preserve good vision.
Depending on one’s age, visual status, general health and eye health, patients are given advisory recall times so that their optometrist can follow up on their care, continue management and, in some cases, just monitor them to ensure things are stable. Many a time patients do not follow this advice and this can be problematic as ocular health can deteriorate in a short space of time without necessarily showing symptoms. It is for this very reason that your eye care professional will advise on a specific recall date for your next appointment.
Being able to see optimally has many benefits aside from the obvious “being able to see”. It enhances productivity at work and when studying as one is able to focus for longer periods of time without getting tired eyes, headaches, watery eyes, blurry vision, etc. Children are often unable to articulate their symptoms and so when they suffer from these symptoms they tend to lash out, misbehave and throw tantrums. Simply relieving them of the discomfort they feel from not being able to see well or from straining their eyes is enough to help with concentration, improved grades and behaviour. This is mainly because they are able to see what is on the board at school and what they are reading/ writing, and are therefore no longer experiencing discomfort.
So the next time you walk into your local optometrists for your “routine” eye examination, we advise to have a friendly chat with your optometrist about what they are doing in order to understand, appreciate and implement what they do, say and advise. Our team at Eye Emporium make it our mission to ensure that your ocular health is looked after, you look good, feel good, see good and that we have done our BEST to care for YOUR eyes. For more information about the services we provide, specialist clinics, or to book an appointment please call in to your local store or visit our online booking page.