“Go to the optometrist.” Maybe you’ve heard this and thought it was okay to ignore it, especially if you feel like your vision is fine. But maintaining good vision is essential to maintain your quality of life, and seeing your optometrist regularly protects not only your vision but also your health. 

The Alberta Association of Optometrists recommends that adults see their optometrist every one to two years, while children and seniors should be examined annually. If you haven’t booked an appointment recently, keep reading for some additional signs that you should move this task to the top of your list, and make time to visit your optometrist for a comprehensive exam.

Why is vision health important? 

Your eye health is crucial for maintaining your ability to see clearly and comfortably. Having your eyes examined regularly can help to identify issues early and prevent damage to your vision. Your eyes can also provide insight into your overall health, and your optometrist can identify many health conditions just from looking at your eyes! Seeing your optometrist is important, even if you don’t have any particular concerns—but if you’ve experienced any of the following, make sure you book an appointment as soon as possible.  

Blurred vision

If you experience blurry vision, you should visit your optometrist. Things like difficulty in focusing or having objects appear fuzzy or out of focus could indicate problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Your optometrist can conduct a series of tests to determine your visual acuity. We’ll make recommendations if necessary to correct your vision, which could include wearing glasses or contact lenses. If you experience blurry vision that comes on quite suddenly, it could indicate a more serious problem, so seek medical care immediately. 

Eye strain 

In today’s digitally driven world, there are lots of activities that could contribute to your eyes becoming strained. Mobile devices, reading, video games, computer use—all of these can cause your eyes to become tired and irritated. Try adjusting how close you hold your screens to your eyes, and limit the amount of time you spend looking at screens. Reducing screen use as much as possible can make a difference to your eye strain. If you still experience symptoms of eye strain, they could be caused by an underlying issue or dry eye syndrome. Your optometrist will evaluate your visual needs and recommend appropriate measures such as prescription glasses, contact lenses, dry eye treatments, or lifestyle modifications to alleviate eye strain and improve visual comfort.

Eye pain

As a general rule of thumb, if something is constantly hurting, you should have it checked. Persistent itchiness, grittiness, pain, or the feeling that something is stuck in your eye should be evaluated by your optometrist. These symptoms can be signs of conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, allergies, or more serious conditions like glaucoma. Your optometrist will be able to identify the root cause of your symptoms and make appropriate recommendations to restore your comfort. 

Sensitivity to light and night 

If you find yourself increasingly sensitive to light, or are constantly squinting and shielding your eyes or even needing to wear sunglasses indoors, you should visit your optometrist. Possible conditions include corneal abrasions or scratches that can also make your eyes feel gritty. Hazy, cloudy vision or difficulty seeing at night may be a sign of cataracts.

Visual disturbances

Visual disturbances are things like floating spots, light splotches, double vision, or even cloudy vision. Sometimes these symptoms can arise if you have spent a great deal of time in the sun or otherwise strained your eyes, but if they’re persistent, they can be a sign of a more serious eye condition. You could be experiencing a retinal detachment or macular degeneration. If you experience a sudden increase in eye floaters, flashes of light or darkening of your vision, call your optometrist immediately or go to the emergency room. 

Colour abnormalities 

Are you having trouble distinguishing colours? This could be a sign of vision problems like cataracts or optic nerve damage. Determining the degree of and reason for your colour perception changes can be difficult, but it is important to get to the bottom of it by booking an appointment to see your optometrist. 

Changing eyes

You know your eyes very well, which means you’ll be the first to notice any changes in the way they look. This could include changes to the colour of your eyes, dots in your eyes, or excessive swelling or redness. Sometimes these changes have a simple explanation and an easy fix. Other times, they can be a sign of a serious underlying problem. It’s better to be on the safe side and get your eyes checked by your optometrist. 

Your 40th birthday

Don’t get offended! We aren’t calling you old, but after age 40, there’s a good chance your vision will begin to deteriorate. The changes in your vision likely won’t be extreme, and they may have even happened so gradually that you won’t notice. Subtle signs of changing vision could be needing additional light while reading, needing to hold text closer or further away, and even headaches after reading. This could be a sign of presbyopia or other age-related vision problems. Book an appointment to get your eyes checked if you’ve hit this milestone birthday.

While these are some of the more common indications that something is troubling your eyes, there are many others that you might not even notice. Regular comprehensive eye exams will enable your optometrist to detect early signs of any conditions that could impact your vision and even help to identify other health concerns like high blood pressure or diabetes. That’s why it’s important to make an appointment to see your optometrist regularly, even if you feel like your vision is okay. 

At Lethbridge Vision Care, we offer comprehensive care for the whole family. Whether you’re due for an annual exam or experiencing a change in your vision that you want to have checked, book an appointment to see one of our skilled optometrists, and rest easy knowing that your vision needs are in good hands.