When was your last eye doctor visit? If it’s been a while, it’s likely that you’re due. Even if you have perfect vision, or if your glasses prescription is up to date, it never hurts to visit your doctor to make sure that all is well.
Eye doctors aren’t just there to correct your vision. They can also recognize all types of eye diseases that could harm you in the future.
But what eye disease types are they looking for? How would you know if you have one? We’re here to talk about it.
Keep reading for a brief eye disease guide.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the most well-known eye disease types. It happens when someone experiences elevated eye pressure. This can damage the optic nerve and prevent the eye’s ability to transmit information to the brain.
It’s common for people with glaucoma to notice early symptoms such as tunnel vision, pain or pressure, poor peripheral vision, blurry vision, and red eyes. While many of these things are common amongst other health conditions, when they all appear in combination and don’t go away, it’s important to consult a medical professional for a diagnosis.
If you’re someone who’s near-sighted (in other words, if you have myopia), you may be more susceptible to glaucoma. This means that it’s even more important that you go to regular eye doctor visits.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Do you have diabetes? If so, you may be prone to diabetic retinopathy. This is true regardless of whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. With this condition, high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy often has no early symptoms. This means that you may have it already, and it will progress if you don’t start treatment. It’s important for people with diabetes to go to yearly eye exams.
Pregnancy, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure can all contribute to diabetic retinopathy. It can cause serious and irreversible vision loss.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is common amongst older adults. It’s normal for your vision to change and get worse as you age, even if you’ve already had LASIK eye surgery or other corrective procedures.
ARMD causes vision to become blurry. People with this condition are no longer able to make out fine details either up close or at far distances. People may find it more difficult to navigate in the dark or drive.
There is no cure for ARMD. Once vision begins to deteriorate, you can manage the condition, but it is possible for it to cause complete vision loss.
Recognize These Types of Eye Diseases
There are plenty of types of eye diseases that could affect you. Do any of these sound familiar?
If you want to make sure that your eyes stay safe and healthy, make sure to have routine check-ups with your local eye doctor. Don’t take your healthy eyes for granted.
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