Make your eye health a priority in the New Year with a routine vision exam.
Routine vision exams allow your eye doctor an opportunity to detect vision problems and eye diseases early, while they are most responsive to treatment. Many vision problems and eye diseases have no early warning symptoms, such as pain or noticeable vision loss, until the condition has advanced to the point where permanent damage has occurred. For example, many eye care professionals refer to glaucoma as “sneak thief of sight” because it causes no symptoms, no noticeable vision loss, and no pain; glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the world. Once vision is lost to glaucoma, it cannot be restored.
Your eye doctor can even detect signs of other health issues unrelated to your eyes, which can include high blood pressure, for example, and assessment of your risk of stroke or diabetes. During a routine vision exam, your eye doctor will check your vision, screen for eye diseases, and update your eyeglass or contact lens prescription as needed.
Your eye doctor will check your vision through a variety of tests, such as visual acuity tests that assess the sharpness of your vision, color blindness tests, and an evaluation of how well your eyes work together. Your eye doctor may also provide you with tips on caring for your eyes.
The frequency at which you should have a routine vision exam depends on some factors, such as your age, overall health, and risk for developing eye problems.
During a routine vision exam, your eye doctor will check your vision, screen for eye disease, and even update your eyeglass or contact lens prescription. Your ophthalmologist or optometrist will provide a final diagnosis, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, at the end of your routine vision exam. Your eye professional will also suggest a personalized treatment plan to address any issues he or she finds during this exam.
At Illinois Eye Center, we offer EyeCareToday, which is same-day access to eye care for patients ages 5 years and older with acute/urgent eye conditions, or for routine vision exams. An eye care provider will be dedicated to the EyeCareToday schedule each day and will see all same-day appointments and/or walk-ins.
The Illinois Eye Center eye care provider you see has completed training in either optometry or ophthalmology and will use extensive experience and cutting-edge diagnostics to get to the root of your symptoms, as well as recommend an appropriate course of treatment.
For more information on the benefits of a routine vision exam or to schedule your same-day appointment, call us at 309-243-2400.