Prevention: Prevention is better than cure

Much like your car needing scheduled maintenance and service, so do your eyes. Annual eye exams with your Optometrist or Ophthalmologist can benefit you by preventing and or slowing the process of some of these diseases. Detection and prevention is the key to healthy eyes.

Many eye diseases usually develop slowly. Gradually, the vision or sensitivity to light deteriorates. What is often dismissed as a sign of age may be a serious eye disease. Therefore, the earlier an eye disease is detected, the better the chances are for successful treatment.

Symptoms for which you should consult an Ophthalmologist

  • sudden loss of vision, which does not return within an hour
  • sudden vision loss
  • severe eye pain
  • perception of light flashes or colored rings around lights
  • perceiving "dirty rain": black flakes trickle from the top down through the visual field
  • foreign body in the eye
  • chemical burns in the eye
  • injuries caused by cutting and impacts
  • sudden double vision

Prevention for children

Many eyesight conditions are hereditary. Yet some can be effectively treated, if they are detected in time. Pediatric Ophthalmologists advise everyone to participate in early regular eye exams. There are 10 specialized eye exams that should be tested in early childhood. Some tests begin as early as 6-7 months old, then about the age of 4 and again before Kindergarten.

Parents are encouraged to have their children eyes examined annually once the child enters school. These exams can be performed at the Pediatrician office or Optometrist. Parents are also encouraged to discuss openly, with their Eye Care Specialist, any family history of eye disease or vision loss. Note: In addition to routine eye exams with the Pediatrician and or Optometrist, parents can “play games” with their children to check their visual performance. Games such as describing road signs, menus at a restaurant, and simple I spy can check the performance of your child’s visual acuity.