A comprehensive eye exam can do more than test the health of your eyesight — it can save your life. The exam helps catch signs of potentially fatal health problems such as diabetes, certain types of cancers, and high blood pressure early. Early diagnosis of these diseases means early treatment and a better chance of managing the illnesses.

 

Here is more on what a comprehensive eye exam is and why it is important.

 

What Is a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

A comprehensive eye exam is a series of tests that look at the health of your eyes and vision. Your optometrist will check for:

 

• Refractive errors – Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
   

• Problems focusing – Such as those caused by presbyopia
   

• Eye disorders – Cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration
   

• Vision issues – Strabismus, binocular vision, or amblyopia
   

• General health issues – Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and sexually transmitted diseases
  
   

The tests done during the comprehensive checkup will differ depending on your eye doctor and your medical history.

 

Benefits of a Comprehensive Eye Exam

A comprehensive eye exam has many benefits for children, adults, as well as older or senior people. These include the following:

 

Early Detection of Eye Illnesses

Most people who have never had a comprehensive eye exam, or those who do not have the exam regularly, believe they have good eyesight.

 

This is despite the fact that even with good eyesight, a comprehensive eye exam can help detect eye illnesses and underlying issues that may not show obvious symptoms at first. Eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, have no signs in the early stages. If not addressed early, they may cause vision loss that has no ability to be recovered.

 

Improved Eyesight

You use your eyes all the time, from working and reading books to watching television, driving, and more. Vision can weaken so gradually that you may not sense it until you start having trouble doing daily tasks. This can cause you to abandon several fun lifestyle activities and make changes to your routine.

 

When you go to your ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam, the first thing your eye doctor will do is examine your visual acuity. If you need eyewear, your optometrist will work with you to determine the best eyeglasses or contact lenses for you.

 

Identifying Potential Health Issues

The eyes are the place where doctors can see blood vessels, nerves, and tissues clearly. Optometrists can detect even a tiny spot in a blood vessel during the checkup, which could be a sign of a tumor that can cause a stroke. This is among the general health issues already mentioned earlier.

 

Talk to Your Eye Doctor About Getting a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Even if your vision seems fine, a yearly comprehensive eye exam can be one of the best things you can do for your eye health, as well as your general health. Do not shelve the idea any longer; contact your eye doctor for an eye exam right away.


 

For more on the benefits of a comprehensive eye exam, call Vision One Eyecare Center at our offices in Fort Mitchell or Dry Ridge, Kentucky. You can call (859) 267-1700 or (859) 407-7400 today to schedule an appointment.