SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – An eye exam is so much more than just a checkup for glasses and contact lenses. During your visit, your eye doctor is looking for signs of numerous conditions that may not only affect the eyes but tell a larger story about your overall systemic health. Your doctor will review your medical history, check your visual acuity, evaluate the surface of the eyes, and perform a dilated exam to observe the structures inside the eyes.
Some conditions your eye doctor can detect in a standard comprehensive eye exam include diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, macular degeneration, liver disease, brain tumors, autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, cancer, and stroke.
Adults over 40 and school-age children should have their eyes checked annually. Prevention and early detection are key to healthy outcomes.
Article written by Mercedes Smith, O.D., Springfield Family Eyecare, Springfield, Vt.