A recent report released by Vision Monday has highlighted the link between vision care and consumers general health. The research has found that regular visits to a professional optometrist for the purpose of a comprehensive eye examination, can detect early signs of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The move towards preventative care in the health industry is being promoted by leading practitioners in vision care.
The early identification of eye related illnesses is often the difference between permanent eye damage, or retaining and improving your current vision. Not only can early prevention benefit consumers greatly through reduced costs of healthcare services, but it also aligns closely with governmental policies in moving from expensive acute medical care, to focusing on early detection and chronic care management.
Optometrist’s have acknowledged that the first step in moving toward a vision well-being program is by obtaining regular vision examinations. They go further to state that a comprehensive vision examination is the most critical component of proper vision eye care and the preservation of sight. The early identification of diseases such as diabetes or hypertension can result in prompt interventions for these conditions. Intervention in the early stages of several disease states that can be identified with regular eye examinations can result in positive outcomes for both the patients and the vision eye care specialist.
With an increasing focus on preventative care and early detection, the role of the optometrist is also changing. The traditional roles of dispensing glasses and contacts are evolving to include the optometrist as an integral part of a patient’s medical team, through early detection of vision and non-vision related illnesses, as well as reparative procedures which range from prescriptions to surgery. The eyes are the only place on the body that provide an unobstructed view of the blood vessels, making it a vital access point for medical professionals to ascertain deficiencies which indicate the presence of impairment or illness.
For the sake of your health, and the health of your family, regular eye examinations should become a mainstay in everyone’s health care regime. Yearly visits to a professional and experienced optometrist will provide you with the vision eye care services necessary to see you well into the future. If you are experiencing any vision deficiencies or discomfort, don’t wait for the yearly appointment. Make sure you visit as soon as the vision impairment arises – do your part for the early detection of vision related issues and keeps your future looking bright.