General Eye Care
Your eyes are one of the tools your body uses for one of your primary senses, sight. Without healthy eyes, you are operating at less than full potential, and one of your five senses is lacking. Routine eye care is vital to maintain a well-functioning body.
The team at Dupage Eye Associates is here to help you maintain quality eyesight.
Common Eye Problems
There are dozens of eye problems you could have or develop in your life. Many are age-related and occur as you age. Some are not age-related, and others are preventable or treatable if you keep regular appointments at your eye doctor.
Since many eye problems develop as you age, you need to visit the eye doctor less when you are young.
If you have healthy eyes and clear vision, you only need one eye check-up in your 20’s and two in your 30’s. More regular appointments will likely be necessary after you turn 40. Your eye doctor will develop a check-up schedule for you in your 40’s.
The most common eye problems, however, are not age-related.
These conditions are myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
Myopia
Myopia means that objects far away from you are unclear and hard to see. Your eye is capable of seeing things near you, but not over long distances.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia is the opposite of myopia. Objects near you tend to be out of focus, while objects in the distance are sharp and in focus.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism causes light to focus unevenly in your eyes due to a steepening of your cornea or natural lens. A steepening in your cornea or lens causes images to appear blurry or shadowed when you have astigmatism. Astigmatism is prevalent and can occur with any other refractive error.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the only common refractive error that has to do with age. The rest of the common eye aberrations occur in all age groups, but presbyopia is almost always an adult issue.
Presbyopia is the stiffening of your natural lens. This stiffening means that your lens cannot elongate to look at something close. Lens stiffness is why many middle-aged adults suddenly need to use reading glasses for near sight in their 40’s.
Should Children See An Eye Doctor?
From childhood through your adult years, it is essential to check in with your eye doctor. They will keep a tab on any issues you may have or could be developing.
Children need to see an eye doctor before kindergarten if possible. This routine check-up ensures that your child’s eyes are functioning correctly and they are not showing signs of vision problems.
Infrequent check-ups are fine if a child does not seem to have any eye issues. If they do have vision problems, they will need to see the eye doctor more regularly. Only a licensed eye doctor can tell you how frequently you or your child must visit the office.
Aging Affects Your Eyes Like The Rest of Your Body
As you age, your appointments at the eye doctor will become more frequent. Presbyopia tends to set in during your mid-40’s, but other issues can spring up between youth and middle age. It is good to be aware of eye issues as they are developing. You don’t want to discover them after they become problematic or worse.
Schedule an appointment with the doctor at Dupage Eye Associates and we will determine the health of your eyes. After that, we can work together to form a plan of action for your eye care maintenance.
