Why regular eye examinations are so important
Your eyes are remarkably complex and so important in everything you do. Minor changes can have a marked effect on vision and comfort, and there are a number of changes that can occur.
As we age, there is an increasing chance of eye problems developing. Many of the vision changes caused by eye disease occur slowly, often over a period of years and sometimes without obvious signs or symptoms. Regular check-ups make detection more likely and enable prompt treatment, giving a better chance of curing or controlling any eye disorder.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is present in varying degrees in most eyes. This happens because the lens inside the eye or the cornea in front of the eye is toric in shape, where it has unequal curves like a rugby ball, rather than a round soccer ball. Astigmatism can occur by itself or in conjunction with myopia, hyperopia or presbyopia. The result of astigmatism is that outlines of objects seem more blurred or shadowed. Astigmatism can cause blurry vision, tired eyes, eye strain, headaches and glare intolerance. Prescription lenses for astigmatism are available in glasses and contact lenses.
Myopia
Myopia if often referred to as short-sightedness. People with myopia are more likely to find vision is clear for near objects and blurry for objects at distance. Myopia can be corrected with the help of prescription spectacle lenses and contact lenses.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia is sometimes called long-sightedness. This occurs when the cornea is flat or the length of the eye is shorter than normal. The hyperopic eye has to exert focus effort with the crystalline lens (called 'accommodation') to keep an object clear. As we get older it becomes increasingly difficult to accommodate or to maintain this effort. Blurring may occur at all distances, but is more pronounced for near objects, and is sometimes intermittent. The extra effort exerted by the eyes may also cause eye strain or headaches. Prescription lenses in glasses and contact lenses will assist hyperopia.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a process that causes the “auto focus" lens in our eyes to become less flexible with age. This makes it harder to adjust focus from one distance to another. In virtually all cases, if you see clearly at distance with both eyes, sooner or later, you will start to have difficulty focusing on small print at a normal reading distance. This often begins sometime in your forties. The prescription lenses to correct for close work are additional to those you may need at long distance. Reading, bifocal or progressive prescription lenses will assist with presbyopia. Your lenses may need to be gradually increased in power as the eye changes. It is important to stress that the use of reading lenses does not accelerate or retard this normal process that occurs. There are also contact lens options to assist with presbyopia.
Eye coordination problems
Each of our eyes has 6 muscles to move the eye in all direction and to align it with the other eye. Ideally the muscles in both eyes work together and in unison to keep our eyes aligned. If they don't, it may lead to eye strain, tired eyes, concentration problems and even double vision. Such eye co-ordination and alignment problems are callec phorias or tropias. With a tropia, (sometimes referred to as a squint) the eyes, for a variety of reasons and causes, do not work together and point in different direction. This can cause double vision, and the brain may suppress the image of one of the eyes to give single vision. In young children this can lead to the vision not fully developing in the suppressed eye (amblyopia) and early investigation and treatment is essential. Most of us have a small amount of binocular imbalance and we can overcome this easily. If not, then additional effort is required to keep the eyes working together, and this can lead to eye strain, concentration problems and difficulty with reading. There are a number of other associated focusing and coordination problems that can affect the performance and efficiency of our visual system. Your optometrist can detect these problems and treatment may be in the form of glasses and/or eye exercises.
Floaters
Floaters (or spots) are particles which float inside the eye and cast shadows on the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (the retina). Usually these are nothing more than a nuisance. However, floaters can result from eye disease or injury and do need assessment by your optometrist. This is especially so if they are accompanied by repeated flashes of light in the peripheral vision. Most people see floaters some time during their life. As we get older, the thick fluid ( vitreous) inside the eye becomes more liquid, allowing particles to move more freely and these cast shadows on the retina.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that can occur at any age, but it is more common as we grow older. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in New Zealand. When diagnosed early, vision loss from glaucoma is usually controllable with ongoing treatment.
In many people this damage is due to increased pressure inside the eye. Usually the damage will be caused by poor blood supply to the fibres of the optic nerve or problems in the health or structure of the nerve itself.
Uncontrolled glaucoma will initially cause blind spots or reduced vision in the peripheral vision. People often don’t notice these until considerable damage is caused. Although damage usually progresses very slowly, it is irreversible. Treatment cannot recover vision that has already been lost - but usually can slow down or halt the damage process.
For some people there is a sudden and large increase in fluid pressure inside the eye causing symptoms which include blurred vision, severe pain, coloured rings around lights, and even nausea and vomiting. If this occurs it is important to seek attention immediately to avoid permanent loss of vision.
Glaucoma can run in families but can occur to anyone. It is often symptomless initially and most undetected patients are unaware they have the disease until it is an advanced stage. Regular eye examinations are the best way to detect glaucoma. These include your optometrist testing for glaucoma by examining the optic nerve at the back of your eye, checking your eye pressure, and assessing your peripheral vision.
Diabetes & your eyes
One of the most distressing and difficult complications of diabetes is reduced vision. Diabetes is a leading cause of preventable blindness in the adult population. However you can help save your sight by:
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Good control of blood glucose levels
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Treatment of general medical conditions such as high blood pressure and /or abnormal cholesterol levels
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Regular eye examinations
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Checking with an optometrist or ophthalmologist about the possibility of more frequent examinations if you are pregnant as pregnancy poses additional risks
