Family Living Focus: Your Eyes – A Window to Your Health
Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota
Your vision seems great, and your eyes feel completely fine so you may be putting off that visit to the eye doctor. If you have not seen your eye care professional in a while, you might have an eye problem which you do not know.
Many eye diseases have no early warning signs. You may not notice anything, so it is critical to have your eyes examined on a regular basis.
A comprehensive dilated eye exam involves looking at all the parts of your eye. It also tests eye
movement, the reaction of your pupil to light and the fluid pressure inside your eyes.
It is critical to pay attention to your eye health because eye health reflects overall health. Changes in the eyes, for example, can tip a doctor off that you have diabetes.
Comprehensive dilated eye exams can catch problems that could lead to blindness and visual impairment while they can still be halted or reversed. If you have glaucoma or diabetic eye disease (a group of eye problems that can accompany diabetes) you may notice a problem only when it is too late to regain your lost vision.
Glaucoma, for example, first affects your side, or peripheral vision, which can be hard to notice. If left untreated, the vision loss will continue to move toward the center of your vision. It is a painless process much like hypertension or high blood pressure can be painless.
Having regular eye exams can help detect eye diseases in their early stages, when they can still be treated. Regular eye exams are important for everyone, but especially for African Americans over age 40, those with a family history of eye disease, people with diabetes and everyone over 60.
An eye exam can also spot uncorrected refractive errors, meaning your eye is out of focus. Uncorrected refractive errors affect millions of Americans. Eye care professionals usually prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to solve the problem. Many millions of Americans use corrective eyewear.
How often you should have your eyes examined depends on your age, family history and other risk factors. Your eye care professional can tell you when your next exam should be.
If you have not had an eye exam for a while, now is the time. Your eyes are an important part of your health. Healthy vision can help keep you safe while you are driving, participating in sports, and taking part in recreational activities. It can also help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle well into your golden years.
Be sure to watch for more Family Living Focus information from Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus – University of Minnesota in next week’s paper.
