Have You Had Your Eyes Checked?
We all know how important it is to get an annual physical. These yearly exams can help to prevent future health problems — and catch small issues before they get worse.
Annual vision exams are just as important. A thorough eye exam (the kind where they dilate your eyes) can help to identify early signs of.1,2
- Diabetes
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Age-related macular degeneration
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
These conditions often have no noticeable early symptoms. But they may be detected during an eye exam. If that happens, your eye professional can recommend steps to minimize the impact on your vision — and your life.1
A thorough eye exam should assess:3
- Your medical history. This includes information on your vision, as well as your overall health, your family medical history and any medications you take.
- Your eyesight. You’ll cover one eye at a time and read an eye chart.
- Your pupils, retina and optic nerve. Your eye professional will dilate your eyes to do this. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt. And the effects wear off pretty quickly.)
- Your side vision. One symptom of glaucoma is loss of side vision — something that can happen without you really noticing.
- Your eye movement. Your eye professional will measure your eyes’ ability to move quickly in all directions and to slowly track objects.
- Your prescription for corrective lenses. A tool called a phoroptor (the thing you sit in front of) contains different lenses. It helps determine the right eyeglass or contact lens prescription for you.
- Your eye pressure. This checks for glaucoma and may involve a quick puff of air onto the eye or the application of a pressure-sensitive tip near or against your eye.
- The front part of your eye. The front part of your eye will be a limited with a special scope. This can check for cataracts, as well as for cornea scars or scratches.
Schedule your exam today
If it’s been more than a year since your last eye exam, contact your eye care professional to schedule an appointment. Most vision plans — including DeltaVision — cover annual eye exams. (If you’re not sure if you have DeltaVision, ask your human resources representative.)
An eye exam is painless and takes less than an hour. The benefits it brings can last a lifetime.
1 Vision, U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/vision
2 Make a Date for Your Eyes: Your Annual Exam, Eye Site on Wellness, http://www.eyesiteonwellness.com/make-a-date-for-your-eyes-your-annual-exam/
3 Eye Exams 101, American Academy of Ophthalmology, https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/eye-exams-101
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