We are constantly using our eyes — to navigate, read, and even dream. But we don’t often stop to think about the health of our eyes. You may not think that your vision plays into your overall health, but healthy eyes play a critical role in your everyday life. From daily health to navigating life safely and being able to pay attention in school or at work, our vision health is just as important as to get annually checked as your overall health.
Why children need vision exams for healthy eyes
Poor vision can start at birth or develop over time. It’s important to get your children’s vision screened before eye problems impact their quality of life. Children with poor vision often find it hard to focus in school, which can cause them to fall behind their peers. Additionally, vision problems can affect hand-eye coordination, which may lower your child’s confidence to play with their friends. All of this can lead to negative impacts on their mental health.
Signs of poor vision in children
It can be hard to recognize that your child is suffering from vision problems. Your child may be struggling (or not sure which one fits best) experiencing difficulty with their vision if they have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Recurring headaches
- Eye pain
- Head tilting
- Complaining of eye pain
- Losing their place when reading
- Holding items close to their face
- Eye rubbing or blinking
If your child is frequently complaining about their eyes or avoids tasks such as reading, it may be a sign to visit an eye doctor. Vision benefits help ease the financial and life stress of maintaining healthy eyes for you and your whole family by getting professional care annually.
Why adults need vision exams for healthy eyes
According to a health survey from American Foundation for the Blind, 32.2 million adults in the United States have experienced vision loss. Unfortunately, these numbers are predicted to increase in the upcoming decades. Adults with vision problems may experience feelings of anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and even social isolation.
The National Eye Institute recommends that adults get comprehensive dilated eye exams every one to two years if they are over 60, are African American and over 40, or if there is a history of eye problems in their family. During the exam, an eye doctor uses special eye drops that widen, or dilate, the pupils. This allows the doctor to check for common vision problems and eye diseases. It’s the best way to see if glasses or contacts are needed or if the early stages of eye-related diseases are present.
Dilated eye exams not only help detect problems with your vision, but they can also help detect problems with your overall health. Conditions that can be found through eye exams include:
- Diabetic retinopathy — A complication of diabetes that damages the blood vessels of light-sensitive tissues in the retina. Though at first it may cause no symptoms, it can lead to blindness.
- Glaucoma — There are a few types of glaucoma, all of which damage the optic nerve in the eye. It’s the leading cause of blindness for individuals over 60. When recognized early, vision loss can be prevented.
- Cataracts — This condition clouds the normally clear lens of our eye, making it difficult to read, drive, or see facial expressions. Though it may not disturb your vision early on, it will eventually interfere. Surgery for cataracts is considered generally safe and effective.
- Age-related macular degeneration — This common eye disorder for individuals over 50 causes thinning of the macula, the part of the retina responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight. This leads to blurred or reduced vision. Early detection and preventive measures can delay the loss of vision.
Vision care is essential to maintaining your overall health. Vision care coverage with DeltaVision and good overall health habits can help protect your ability to drive safely, work an 8 hour day, and experience the beauties in life like watching a sunset.
If you’re interested in ensuring healthy vision for your family, click here to learn more about how you can make sure your eyes are covered.