Getting regular eye exams helps detect eye diseases early to prevent progression. Eye exams are also crucial because they reveal hidden signs of other health issues, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

However, vision impairment is excluded mainly from population health discussions and strategies focusing on broader health determinants. This is a shame because it’s an opportunity for improvement.

Early Diagnosis

As with other chronic diseases, eye conditions can progress from the early stages of the disease to severe symptoms and loss of vision without proper intervention. Primary prevention involves avoiding smoking, unprotected sun exposure, and using protective eyewear during home improvement projects.

Health education is a critical component of a population health approach, and participants in focus groups reported that knowledge about eye disease risk factors and treatment options was low. Furthermore, they reported that their primary care providers seldom asked about their eyesight or health. This lack of inquiry negatively impacted their receipt of routine preventive eye care.

Regular, preventative eye exams also help detect other health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, that can lead to eye and body complications. Invest in preventative total eye care for long-term eye health is essential. Regular eye check-ups can detect silent but dangerous health problems like heart disease and cancer.

Preventive Treatments

The health of your eyes is indicative of your overall well-being. That’s why making look care a regular wellness routine is so important. Eye exams can detect health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Timely treatment can prevent vision loss in eye diseases like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.

Primary prevention includes promoting healthy lifestyles that can prevent the onset of disease and reduce the incidence of vision loss, such as eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, wearing protective eyewear when engaging in certain recreational activities, and avoiding smoking. Secondary prevention involves educating the public about the importance of preserving eye health and maintaining proper healthcare, including using appropriate medications and receiving timely treatments, such as taking blood-thinning medication to control diabetes and lower blood pressure.

Tertiary prevention fosters and strengthens community action to support eye and vision health and address social inequities. It requires a population health approach that leverages the collective strengths of government, community, business, and other sectors.

Prevent Vision Loss

When eye diseases are caught early, their progression can often be slowed or halted. It is essential to have a comprehensive, dilated eye exam every two years for healthy adults or annually for individuals with risk factors such as a family history of disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.

The goal is to catch these problems in their earliest stages, when they are often painless and have no symptoms. The eye doctor can also spot signs of other health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and treat them before they worsen.

In addition to regular eye exams, you can reduce your risk of vision loss by eating a balanced diet with leafy greens and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. You can also protect your eyes by wearing protective eyewear while participating in sports, working outdoors, or handling firearms. And if you’re using a computer or smartphone for long periods, practice the 20-20-20 rule, looking away from the screen every 20 minutes for about 20 seconds.

Lifestyle Changes

Many health conditions that affect vision can be prevented or delayed with proper treatment, regular screenings, and healthy lifestyle choices. A healthy diet rich in eye-enhancing nutrients promotes ocular health and helps prevent macular degeneration. Avoid processed foods, such as snack cakes and potato chips, and replace them with nutrient-rich whole foods like leafy green vegetables and fruit. Add oily fish to your diet, such as salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, and sardines, for essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Everyone should get an eye exam every two years, preferably on a schedule set by their doctor. If you have diabetes or a family history of glaucoma, you should see your optometrist more frequently. See your optometrist if you experience symptoms such as decreased vision, eye pain, halos around lights, blurry or double vision, floaters, and flashes of light. It is best to quit smoking to reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration.