An optometrist is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing primary vision care. Optometrists are not ophthalmologists or medical doctors but are licensed to practice optometry – a healthcare profession that involves giving eye exams, finding eye abnormalities, treating certain eye diseases, and writing prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses.
Seeing an optometrist is vital for several reasons related to your eye health and overall well-being. Let’s discuss why you should consider seeing an optometrist in Washington, MO.
Vision Correction
This is one of the most common reasons to see an optometrist. People experiencing blurred vision, difficulty seeing objects at a closeup or distance, night blindness, red eye, or some other vision problem can visit an optometrist, who can diagnose the vision problems and prescribe appropriate corrective measures.
In addition to prescribing corrective measures like eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other vision corrections, an optometrist can also provide recommendations on proper eye ergonomics to people who spend extended periods of time using digital devices. They may also prescribe specialized computer glasses and suggest strategies to alleviate eye strain.
Comprehensive Eye Exam
The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommend that individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 undergo an eye exam every year regardless of their health.
An optometrist can conduct a comprehensive eye examination involving a series of tests and assessments to assess your overall eye health. An eye exam allows your optometrist to detect various eye diseases and conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
What’s more? An eye exam also gives your optometrist valuable insight into your overall health and detects signs of systemic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Update Your Prescription
The human eye is highly adaptable, and subtle vision changes occur gradually over time. Wearing the wrong prescription (under-prescribed or over-prescribed prescription) can lead to vertigo or dizziness, headache, and blurry vision, to name a few.
Wearing the wrong prescription in children can have serious consequences since their eyes are still developing.
So, it’s best to see an optometrist periodically to update your glasses prescription. An optometrist can monitor your vision and eye health and prescribe correct glasses or contact lenses. They can also guide you on proper lens insertion, removal, and care.
Ocular Health Monitoring
Regular visits to an optometrist are particularly important for those with existing eye conditions or a family history of eye disease. An optometrist can monitor your ocular health and manage any ongoing condition.
They may also develop a personalized treatment plan for your unique eye condition.
Symptoms That Indicate the Need to Visit an Optometrist
Some signs that indicate your need to see an optometrist are:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Eye pain
- Red or irritated eyes
- Floater – specks floating before eyes
- Flashes of lights
Optometrist in Washington, MO
If you are looking for a highly trained and experienced optometrist in and around Washington, MO, look no further. At Advanced Sight Center, our talented optometrist Dr. Becky Lory provides the highest quality eye care to our patients for a variety of conditions such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
If you would like to make an appointment with our optometrist, call us today at (636) 239-1650, or use our convenient online request form.
