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Your Eye Doctor & You
Bothered by headaches? Hay fever? High blood pressure? Your vitamin intake? Your golf score?
Talk to your eye doctor.
Many people don't realize the connection between lifestyle and eye health. But it's a connection that
can help you make a good eye exam better. The more we know about a patient, the better we can
prescribe the right glasses or anticipate and treat visual problems.
So how do you know what to tell or ask your eye doctor? Consider these tips for making the most of
your next eye exam.
If there is some part of your eye exam, diagnosis, or treatment that you don't understand, talk to
your doctor about it. Ask about the consequences of your condition. For example, how it will affect
your vision and what kinds of tests you will need. Ask about your treatment as well -- the benefits or
side effects, and whether you will have any restrictions in diet, exercise, or medications. Take notes
and request written instructions from your doctor. Ask for information that explains about your
condition, so you can read them at home. Then if something is still unclear, call the doctor with
more questions.?
Take charge of your eye health. A good eye exam is a dual responsibility -- the doctor's and yours.
So how do you know what to tell or ask your eye doctor? Consider these tips for making the most of
your next eye exam.
Health Record
Lifestyle Checklist
Why Eye Exams are Important:
Since many eye diseases show no immediate symptoms until the damage is done, regular eye exams
are one of the most important things you can do for your vision and your overall health. Eye exams
can help detect cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disease, as well as diabetes and high-blood pressure.
What is a sight examination?
The following is a general overview of what we do when we perform an eye exam:
* A review of your family and personal health history.
* An examination of your eyes' exterior and interior for signs of eye disease or general health
problems, such as diabetes or hardening of the arteries, that may show up in the eyes, and, for
adults, eye pressure and field of vision tests to diagnose glaucoma.
* Tests of your ability to see sharply and clearly at near and far distances.
* Tests to determine the presence of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, depth perception
problems and, in people over age 40, presbyopia (an age-related condition affecting reading vision).
* A check of eye coordination and eye muscle function to be certain the eyes are working together as
a team.
* A test of the ability to change focus easily from near to far and vice versa.
Additional tests that are part of a comprehensive eye examination for young children are:
* A check for any indications of crossed-eyes or that the child is not using one eye.
* Tests to check for Amblyopia.
* If necessary, a series of tests to determine how well the child's vision skills are developing.
Thorough care also includes a discussion of the exam's findings and any treatment prescribed, as
well as personal advice about such matters as good vision on the job, eye safety, maintaining eye
health, prescription lens choices and environmental factors, such as lighting, affecting a person's
eyes and vision.
Mind your eyes - Have you had a sight examination in the past two
years?
Bothered by headaches? Hay fever? High blood pressure? Your vitamin intake? Your golf score?
Talk to your eye doctor.
Many people don't realize the connection between lifestyle and eye health. But it's a connection that
can help you make a good eye exam better. The more we know about a patient, the better we can
prescribe the right glasses or anticipate and treat visual problems.
So how do you know what to tell or ask your eye doctor? Consider these tips for making the most of
your next eye exam.
If there is some part of your eye exam, diagnosis, or treatment that you don't understand, talk to
your doctor about it. Ask about the consequences of your condition. For example, how it will affect
your vision and what kinds of tests you will need. Ask about your treatment as well -- the benefits or
side effects, and whether you will have any restrictions in diet, exercise, or medications. Take notes
and request written instructions from your doctor. Ask for information that explains about your
condition, so you can read them at home. Then if something is still unclear, call the doctor with
more questions.?
Take charge of your eye health. A good eye exam is a dual responsibility -- the doctor's and yours.
So how do you know what to tell or ask your eye doctor? Consider these tips for making the most of
your next eye exam.
Health Record
- Be prepared to give your eye doctor a thorough health background. Bring a complete list of
your medications -- both prescription and non-prescription -- including antihistamines,
decongestants, asthma inhalers, and nutritional supplements. People typically overlook over-
the-counter products,even though they often have an effect on the eyes.
- Also report any current difficulties you are having with your vision: blurring, dry eyes, double
vision, difficulty seeing at night, eye strain. And tell your doctor about chronic health
conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and allergies, as well as any surgery you've
had since your last exam.
- Be prepared to discuss your family health history, too. For most eye diseases, there's a
hereditary component. Glaucoma, macular degeneration, and early cataracts, for example,
tend to run in families.
Lifestyle Checklist
- How you use your eyes helps the doctor decide what corrective eyewear is best for you. Let the
doctor know about your work environment. Do you use a computer? How many hours a day?
Is the lighting in your office natural or artificial? Do you do a lot of close up work --
bookkeeping, editing, electronics? Do you work outdoors or in hazardous surroundings?
- Discuss your leisure activities as well. Do you play racquetball, tennis, or golf? Are you a
fisherman or boater? An avid reader or quilter? The right eyewear can protect your eyes,
enhance your skills, and improve your vision.
Why Eye Exams are Important:
Since many eye diseases show no immediate symptoms until the damage is done, regular eye exams
are one of the most important things you can do for your vision and your overall health. Eye exams
can help detect cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disease, as well as diabetes and high-blood pressure.
What is a sight examination?
The following is a general overview of what we do when we perform an eye exam:
* A review of your family and personal health history.
* An examination of your eyes' exterior and interior for signs of eye disease or general health
problems, such as diabetes or hardening of the arteries, that may show up in the eyes, and, for
adults, eye pressure and field of vision tests to diagnose glaucoma.
* Tests of your ability to see sharply and clearly at near and far distances.
* Tests to determine the presence of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, depth perception
problems and, in people over age 40, presbyopia (an age-related condition affecting reading vision).
* A check of eye coordination and eye muscle function to be certain the eyes are working together as
a team.
* A test of the ability to change focus easily from near to far and vice versa.
Additional tests that are part of a comprehensive eye examination for young children are:
* A check for any indications of crossed-eyes or that the child is not using one eye.
* Tests to check for Amblyopia.
* If necessary, a series of tests to determine how well the child's vision skills are developing.
Thorough care also includes a discussion of the exam's findings and any treatment prescribed, as
well as personal advice about such matters as good vision on the job, eye safety, maintaining eye
health, prescription lens choices and environmental factors, such as lighting, affecting a person's
eyes and vision.
Mind your eyes - Have you had a sight examination in the past two
years?