An Eye for an Eye

6 Signs It May Be Time To Visit An Eye Doctor

A trip to the eye doctor may not be on your list of things to get done in the next few months, but there are some circumstances where even folks who believe they have good vision should consider a visit. These 6 situations represent times where it's wise to schedule an appointment.

Age 50

Up until the age of 50, visiting an eye doctor once every 5 to 10 years is pretty normal for folks who've never been diagnosed with any sort of vision trouble. This schedule should tick up in frequency once you've hit your 50s. It will eventually become an annual thing, even if you still have great vision.

The main concern doctors have about people in this age range is glaucoma, a condition in which pressure in the eye eventually does damage to the optic nerve. Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye, are also a concern to look out for.

Diagnosed with Diabetes

There's a fairly strong relationship between diabetes and the potential for vision problems. In fact, the first practitioner who often senses that someone has diabetes is their optometrist. Consequently, someone who has been diagnosed with the disease should make an appointment with an eye doctor.

Night Vision Issues

Most folks don't really notice this problem unless they're driving. If you're beginning to have trouble seeing street signs at a reasonable distance while driving at night, it's time to get a vision checkup.

Motion Sickness

Although motion sickness is often attributable to other issues, such as inner ear disorders, it can also be a sign that your eyes are failing to adapt to physical changes they've undergone. A simple way to test for this is to try to track a moving object like the eraser on a pencil in someone else's hand. When in doubt, contact an optometrist for an appointment.

Recent Head Trauma

Even if the appearance of vision troubles appears to have solely been caused by a brain injury, it's wise to visit an eye doctor once you're on the mend. Not only can they make sure that trauma hasn't done damage to the eyes, but they can also verify that you're seeing properly and not reacting poorly to things like flashing lights. It's best to find this sort of thing out in a doctor's office rather than in public.

Strain

If looking at anything makes your eyes hurt, make an appointment, especially if you feel strain while reading, using a computer, looking at your phone, or watching TV.

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