Ideally, everyone should have an eye exam every two to four years to help protect their ocular health and catch any problems early. But sometimes things come up in between regularly scheduled eye exams that deserve a professional’s attention.
Read on as the team at Austin Eye Clinic reveals signs that you should schedule an eye exam.
You have trouble reading the font in magazines or on menus, or you can’t recognize the faces of friends or coworkers.
If blurry vision makes it hard to read a magazine, newspaper or menu, or if you have trouble seeing into the distance to recognize faces, you probably need glasses or contacts. Your doctor can perform tests to determine your visual problem and recommend the appropriate solution.
Your night vision has deteriorated.
If you are having difficulty driving at night due to poor vision, you should see an eye doctor as soon as possible. Not being able to read road signs, seeing halos around streetlights or having trouble distinguishing objects on the road can compromise your safety and the safety of other drivers and pedestrians.
You have been diagnosed with diabetes or another serious medical condition.
If you have received a diagnosis of diabetes, a thyroid problem or another serious, systemic medical condition, you are at a higher risk of certain eye diseases. See your eye doctor to discuss your diagnosis and what it may mean for your eye health. Also, if you have a family history of diabetes or eye diseases, you may need to see your eye doctor more often than normal.
You experience double vision.
Double vision can signal a serious problem such as cataracts. The best way to know the cause of the problem is to schedule a cataracts eye exam from your doctor.
You have eye pain or persistent eye fatigue.
Occasional eye fatigue is usually due to spending a lot of time reading or working on the computer. However, if you experience persistent eye fatigue, something more serious may be to blame.
You are experiencing prominent floaters or regular flashes of light.
Noticing the occasional floater or flash of light is usually no cause for concern. But if you are regularly seeing flashes of light or your floaters are so big that they impair your vision, it could indicate a problem with your eye’s internal structures. You should seek immediate medical attention.
To schedule an appointment at the Austin Eye Clinic location closest to you, please call or email us today.
