Did you know 35% of Americans skip the eye doctor because they don’t feel they need it?
If you have been avoiding your yearly eye exams, it’s never too late to seek an eye doctor. Going to an eye doctor will not only keep your glasses prescription up to date, but it can also help prevent eye diseases.
If you’re ready to make an appointment, here are 10 things your Lexington eye doctor wants you to know.
1. Never Sleep With Your Contacts
If you are a contact lens user, you should never sleep with your contacts. It is extremely important to take them off before you go to sleep. Contacts cause dryness in your eyes, and they need to breathe and receive oxygen.
Throughout the day, bacteria is collected and sits on top of the contact lense. Contacts need to soak in an appropriate disinfecting solution at the end of the day to cleanse and get rid of the unwanted bacteria thoroughly.
It is very common for people to sleep with their contacts. Out of all the people that wear contact lenses, 99% have had poor hygiene habits at one point or another.
2. Know The Difference Between Eye Doctors
When we attend our annual eye exam, we usually see an optometrist. They are qualified to provide primary eye care, such as vision exams.
An optometrist can prescribe medication and are trained to diagnose most eye conditions but are not qualified to perform surgery.
If you have any eye disease that requires surgery or further treatment, you will need to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologists must attend medical school to perform any eye operation.
3. Don’t Ignore Symptoms
It is crucial not to ignore any vision loss symptoms in one eye or double vision or even cobwebs. Theses symptoms might only last for a short amount of time, but they can be very dangerous.
Losing vision in one eye can be a sign of mini-stroke. It can only last for a few seconds but, you should call your eye doctor or go to the emergency room.
These are symptoms that need treatment right away, so never ignore them.
4. Everyone Will Need Glasses At Some Point
As we get older, our vision will start to be less clear. Our white eyes will start to get yellow. That is a very common thing that comes with age.
Vision loss is unavoidable as we get older. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to prevent it. Genetics can have a lot to do with how fast it happens and how drastic it is.
While there is no way of avoiding it, you can only delay it by spending more time outside and less time looking at a screen.
5. Smoking Can Damage Your Eyes
Smoking cigarettes is known to be bad for your health. More specifically, it can be the cause of vision loss. Smoking damages the blood vessels in the optic nerve and the retina.
Smoking increases your chances of getting cataracts and infections in your eyes. It is important to tell your Lexington eye doctor if you are currently a smoker.
Suppose you have been a smoker in the past but are no longer smoking. The chances of getting an eye disease due to smoking are very low.
6. Expect Your Pupils To Get Dilated
If your doctor recommends you get a more thorough exam, he will have to dilate your eyes. Getting your eyes dilated is simple.
The doctor will place some drops in your eye, causing the pupil to get bigger.
Eye dilation helps the eye doctor see the back of your eye better. Dilation is useful because the doctor can look into your eye better and spot problems early on before it gets worse.
Getting your eyes dilated can cause sensitivity to light and a blurry vision lasting only a couple of hours. Having someone attend your eye exam if you are getting your eyes dilated is recommended.
7. 20/20 Vision Doesn’t Mean Perfect Vision
After being told we have 20/20 vision, we assume that our eyes are perfect, but that’s not the case. Having 20/20 vision means your central vision is healthy. Central vision is what you can see when you look straight at an object.
Even though your central vision may be intact, you could have a problem with your night vision or side vision or even color vision.
8. Using Glasses Doesn’t Weaken Your Eyes
Many people believe that wearing glasses weakens the eyes. But that is considered to be a myth. The only thing that lenses do is they help you see better.
It is essential to know when you require a new eye exam and prescription. It is recommended for teens and children and young adults to get an eye exam every year.
Older adults can go up to 2 years without an eye exam. But if you are experiencing blurred vision or headaches, it is a sign you need new glasses, and you should make an appointment to get your eyes checked.
9. Always Remove Eye Makeup
Proper eye hygiene is crucial to having healthy eyes. Sometimes people who wear makeup do not remove it at the end of the day, causing bacteria to build up.
Bacteria and oils can accumulate on the eye, causing a clogged duct and an infection. Also, using old makeup can cause bacteria on the eye. It is recommended that you do not share makeup with others to prevent eye infections.
10. Eyes Can Reveal a Lot About Your Health
Our eyes can reveal a lot about a person, but most importantly, it can show a lot about your health. During your eye checkup, your eye doctor can see signs of certain medical conditions.
If you suffer from thyroid problems, your doctor will notice bulging eyes. Also, having different size pupils or sagging of the eye can be a sign of a tumor.
Attending your routine eye exam checkup may help diagnose any health conditions you didn’t know you had.
Ready to Visit Your Lexington Eye Doctor?
Now that you know about these eye doctor tips, you’re ready to take better care of your eyes.
Remember to always remove your makeup at night, don’t sleep with your contacts, and perfect vision doesn’t mean your eyes are healthy.
Are you ready to visit your Lexington eye doctor? Contact us today to make an appointment.