Why are Eye Exams Important?
Eye exams aren’t just for those with vision problems. A regular eye exam is important for everyone—no matter age or physical health—to maintain healthy eyes, prevent vision problems and diagnose diseases early.
During a comprehensive eye exam in Kalamazoo, your doctor will not only determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses but will also check your eyes for common eye diseases, assess how your eyes work together as a team and evaluate your eyes as an indicator of your overall health.
Eye examinations are an important part of health maintenance for everyone. In addition to evaluating whether you have nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, your eyes will be checked for eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss including:
Amblyopia: This condition, often referred to as lazy eye, occurs when the eyes are misaligned or when one eye has a much different prescription than the other. If left untreated, amblyopia can stunt the visual development of the affected eye, resulting in permanent vision impairment.
Strabismus: Strabismus, also known as crossed eyes, is a condition characterized by eyes that are misaligned or do not line up in the same direction when focusing on an object. This happens when the eye muscles do not work together. Strabismus can cause problems with depth perception and can lead to amblyopia.
Eye Diseases: Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, have no obvious symptoms in their early stages. Your doctor will check the health of your eyes inside and out for signs of early problems. In most cases, early detection and treatment of eye diseases can help reduce your risk for permanent vision loss.
Other Diseases: By looking at your eye’s blood vessels and retina, many systematic conditions and diseases can be detected in their early stages.
No matter who you are, regular eye exams are an important part of maintaining healthy vision for life. To schedule an eye exam with one of our doctors in Kalamazoo, contact Kalamazoo Ophthalmology at 269-329-5860 or seeclearkalamazoo.com today.