Most individuals would never think to miss family doctor visits or dental appointments, but how often do you consider the health of your and your family’s eyes? Many people do not visit the eye doctor or optometrist until they notice an extreme change in their vision. This is dangerous, because you may not be aware of minor changes that can seriously impair your ability to see. Like a well-oiled machine, you need to keep all parts of your body in perfect shape by having regular examinations. The following is a list of services that optometrists provide their patients:

Vision Examination

As part of your regular eye check-up, optometrists will look to make sure that every part of your eye is functioning properly. This should be done at least once a year, and more frequently if your eyes make dramatic changes. During the examination, which usually lasts no longer than an hour, an optometrist will check your ability to see objects near to your face and far away. He or she also notes your ability to see colors and three-dimensional figures.

Diagnosis

It is not altogether uncommon for an optometrist to discover that you are not seeing with perfect or 20/20 vision. If this is the case, he or she will help you determine a method to correct your vision problem. Optometrists also have to be on the lookout for infections or disease in the eyes and examine every part for damage. Often in older patients, optometrists will find cataracts or glaucoma. If not caught early, these maladies can cause a person to go blind. This is why it is extremely important to see an optometrist regularly. Blindness is very rarely reversible.

Minor Surgical Procedures

In their offices, optometrists are equipped to perform small, minor procedures. They can remove foreign objects from the eyes. They also may prescribe creams, drops or other topical medications to deal with infection and disease in the eye. More recently, some optometrists have acquired the skills of laser technology. While this may be recommended by your personal eye doctor, many still do not have the capability to perform laser correction themselves. However, it is becoming more popular and larger optometrists are purchasing the technology to utilize in their offices. The lasers can be used to correct less than perfect vision or to reverse cataracts and glaucoma.

Treatment with Glasses and/or Contact Lenses

A less dramatic approach to vision correction is the prescription of glasses or contact lenses. Many people have both. Glasses and contacts work by superficially bending the surface of the eyeball so that it can better absorb light, which is necessary for seeing. Optometrists have to do a comprehensive matching process, to find the right prescription for each of their patients. It can be related to the dosage amount in medicine. People need to be receiving enough to make a difference in their vision, but a prescription that is too strong is also quite dangerous. If you haven’t been to the optometrist for some time, you should consider making an appointment. Your sight is too precious to lose.