Our eyes are so precious to us. It is through them that we get to see the beauty of the world and create lifetime memories. While a lot of people wouldn’t imagine living even a single day without their eyesight, very few who pay attention to their eye health. Just like any other organ in your body, your eyes deserve to be taken care of. its obviously, you cannot trade your eyesight with anything else in the world. Thus, give it the care it deserves.
Most eye specialists recommend that you get a check-up at least once a year or in two years even when you don’t have any issues. Those checkups can be a lifesaver. If an issue is detected in its initial stages, it will be easy to treat it but waiting until the last minute can cost you your vision.
Furthermore, apart from gauging your vision, an eye examination can provide crucial information about your overall well-being. Surprisingly, your eyes can reveal about most systematic diseases in your body and their severity. The more reason you should pay extra attention to your eye health. If you are not sure about what warrants a visit to your eye care specialist, here are some of the most crucial eye problems you should never ignore.
Double vision
Although double vision can be caused by some benign conditions, it’s important to seek medical attention. Let the specialist, advice you on what to do. You can experience double vision in one or both eyes but the most common one is both eyes. If you experience double vision in both eyes, then your eyes are not working together in the right way. This is majorly caused by an autoimmune problem, neurological issue or any other serious issue. If it’s in one eye, then this could be due to a corneal problem. If double vision is accompanied by pain, weakness and slurred speech, then you should go straight to the emergency department. You need to be evaluated ASAP.
Red, teary eyes
Red, teary eyes are normally associated to a long night out due to lack of sleep but it could also indicate a sign of keratitis. Keratitis is an infection of the cornea known to cause inflammation, discharge, redness and pain among other problems. Keratitis can easily be treated if detected early but if left untreated for long, it can cause blindness. So, if your eyes are experiencing problems such as irritation, redness and light-sensitivity, seek medical attention especially if you wear contacts to avoid contracting severe infections.
Floaters and flashes
Floaters are those gnat-like or cobwebby squiggles that appear in your vision while flashes of light are a lightning streak in the peripheral vision. If you happen to experience floaters accompanied by flashes of lights at times, consider a visit to an ophthalmologist. This could be caused by something benign known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). It is a process of ageing typically affecting people who are 50 years and above. It can also affect younger people if they are near-sighted. The condition does not hurt and some may not even notice its presence.
On the other hand, floaters and flashes of light in the eyes could be due to a retinal tear, a serious condition that can lead to retinal detachment and if not fixed quickly, it can lead to loss of vision. Therefore, you need to see a specialist to detect the problem because if you assume its PVD, you could end up losing your eyesight. Besides, even when you are diagnosed with a PVD, you need to follow up visits so that your doctor can rule out any possibility of tears developing. In matters regarding your vision, you just cannot take chances.
Eye pain
You should never experience any pain in your eyes at all. If you do, then its time you visit an eye specialist near you. At times, it could be due to some benign issues but at times it could be due to potentially blinding conditions such as angle-closure glaucoma or neuropathy. You need to visit an eye specialist just in case it’s a serious problem. Injury is another cause of pain in the eye. In case of an injury, go to an emergency room right away. Do not apply pressure of any kind nor try to rub or rinse the eye. You shouldn’t try to remove anything in that eye as well. Just go to the hospital. The medical professionals will know what to do plus they have the right equipment to use.
Blurry vision
The main cause of blurry vision is poor lubrication of the eyeball and that’s why is aptly named ‘’dry eye’’. The symptom can result from environmental factors such as smoke or wind, wearing your contacts for too long or certain medications such as antihistamines. While over-the-counter drug known as artificial tears or eye drop can help to resolve the problem, seek medical advice if the problem persists to rule out the possibility of serious eye disease.
If you are pregnant and experience blurry vision, inform your medical practitioner immediately or visit an eye institute for a detail check. It could indicate a sign of high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. The same case goes to a person who experiences vision blurs suddenly. This is important to rule out the possibility of serious health issues like very high pressure around the brain and spinal cord or inflammation of the optic nerve. These are health problems that can lead to sudden vision problems if not treated immediately.
Eye health tips you need to know
Use sunglasses
That pair of sunglasses you consider a fashion accessory can protect your eyes from cataracts, pinguecula and macular degeneration by blocking out harmful UV rays from the sun. Every time you are spending time in the sun, apart from wearing your sunscreen, remember to put on shades to protect your eyes.
Avoid excess exposure to screens
If you want to protect your eyes from dry eyes, blurry vision, eyestrain and long-distance focus issues minimize the time you spend on your TV, computer and phone. If you must, then use some protective measures like taking 15-minutes break after every two hours, blinking more often and updating your contacts prescription for screen exposure.
Eat a healthy diet
For good eyesight, consume food items such as fruits, vegetables, non-meat proteins and fish. Also, foods rich in nutrients such as zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and E and lutein can help strengthen your eyes against age-related eye issues like macular degeneration and cataracts.
The bottom line
When it comes to your eyes, don’t leave anything to chances. If you detect any change in your vision, consider a visit to an eye specialist. Its better your eye expert assures you that there is nothing to worry about instead of assuming everything is okay only to lose your eyesight later.
