Make Time for Eye Health

Insight 20/20

Being proactive about your health includes scheduling regular visits with your optometrist.

Why an optometrist, you might ask?

The answer is simple: because they can see more than just what’s happening with your vision.

Of course assessing and correcting any vision issues is very important, particularly as we age, but your optometrist is there for both your vision care and eye health needs.

That’s why establishing a relationship with an optometrist you trust is so critical, the same way as you trust your family physician. It’s like having an additional safety net; a highly trained professional who can take a deeper look at your systemic health and flag any potential warning signs of disease affecting your eyes, as well as your entire body.

Your optometrist can pick up subtle but serious changes to your eye health, often before you notice any symptoms. For example, people with diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the back of the eye, will not see any difference in their vision until it’s too late. When an optometrist is part of your healthcare team, they will detect, diagnose and manage this and other types of eye diseases so that you can carry on with your daily activities.

We all lead busy lives, but making time for that additional layer of security by scheduling an annual eye appointment with your optometrist is an investment in your overall health that you won’t regret.

Find your local optometrist at findaneyedoctor.ca