Most people do their best to maintain or improve their health regularly, but it is easy to overlook the importance of timely, quality vision care. In fact, if you are like most people, you may only visit the optometrist or ophthalmologist when a serious issue develops or when you need your prescription for glasses or contacts renewed. However, there are a few tell-tale signs to be aware of that indicate vision care services are needed soon.
Blurry Vision or Other Visual Disturbances
If you find yourself squinting to read fine print or to see signs in the distance, you may need to update your prescription with a visit to the eye doctor. You may also notice that other people can see details that are blurry to you. Other visual disturbances can also be bothersome, such as floating black dots, blurriness only around the periphery of your vision and more. Any type of visual disturbance can impact your safety, your professional life and more. Some of these issues may indicate a more serious underlying condition. Furthermore, early treatment may prevent some conditions from worsening.
Frequent Headaches
There are numerous reasons why you may get frequent headaches, and one of the more common reasons is related to poor vision. You may not realize that your vision has worsened, but regular headaches could indicate that your body is working overtime to make accommodations. Headaches could also be a sign of issues that may be identified through an eye exam, such as a high blood pressure issue that you may not currently be aware of. If you get headaches several times per week or more, now is the time to schedule a vision exam.
More Than a Year Has Passed
Some people think that ophthalmology services are only beneficial for vision correction. However, regular services can identify glaucoma, cataracts, retinal disorders, high blood pressure, tumors and other issues in many cases. Even if you believe that you have perfect eyesight, you may benefit from regular vision care as a pre-emptive step toward maintaining superior health.
You likely already have a great relationship with a trusted family doctor as well as a dentist. If you have not found a vision care professional yet, take time today to explore the options. Your eyesight is not something that you want to leave to chance, so it makes sense to schedule your next exam as soon as possible.