While your primary care doctor can take a quick exam of your eyes, it's always best to go to an eye specialist. After all, your eyes are fragile, and there may be issues that only an optometrist can deal with. Here are reasons to visit your optometrist regularly.

Receive Routine Exams

Your optometrist is a specialist who knows all there is when it comes to eye health. Eye exams are essential at all ages, and the younger you spot a problem, the easier it’ll be to manage. According to the CDC, around 6.8% of children younger than 18 in the U.S. have a diagnosed eye and vision condition. Catching this early can help children see and avoid vision-related complications, such as frequent headaches. The optometrist can determine whether you need contact lenses, eyeglasses, or reading glasses to care for your eyes and manage your day-to-day life.

Prevent and Treat Eye Disease

Injury and illness can happen to your eyes. Some eye diseases may be hereditary, like color blindness or glaucoma, whereas others may result due to lifestyle. Your eye doctor can help prevent, treat, and manage these diseases when possible. Other eye problems may include macular degeneration, which can happen with age, and pink eye, which is usually caused by a virus. Your eye doctor can determine treatments and whether you should have surgeries like LASIK to correct your vision.

Alert to Other Conditions

Some eye problems may be tied to other underlying health problems. An eye exam may be able to help detect aneurysms and brain tumors. According to our team, a brain tumor puts pressure on your optic nerve, which may cause you to have double vision or lose vision on one side.

Complement Diabetic Care

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can occur when your body has issues producing insulin. According to the CDC, over 38 million Americans, or 11% of the population, have the disease. Diabetes can wreak havoc on one's nerves and blood vessels, which is why retinopathy or blindness can happen. Regular visits with your optometrist can detect and prevent vision loss diabetics can suffer.

As you can see, having regular visits with an eye specialist is essential for your overall comprehensive health plan. Eyes are fragile, so it's important to care for them to maintain your sight. If you have any underlying genetic conditions or chronic diseases, you'll likely need the help of an eye doctor to manage them. For an experienced optometrist you can trust and who handles a range of eye issues, contact Weber Optiks today for a consultation.