Feast Your Eyes on Eye Health

What prompts you to schedule a visit to your eye doctor? Assuming you aren’t in the 1 in 10 who haven’t gone in the past 5 years. According to the American Optometric Association data, almost half of people between the ages of 23 and 38, believe if their vision is clear, they don’t need an examination. If it’s not part of your regular health routine, chances are you go when you notice a change.

• Have you noticed that you are starting to hold things at arm’s length to read?  Yup, that’s called presbyopia.  As we head into our later 30s, our eyes’ lens becomes less flexible causing increased farsightedness.  

• Or maybe you notice how tired or dry your eyes feel after staring at your computer screen—all that blue light. That’s called computer vision syndrome or digital eye strain. 

• Or, perhaps, you have glasses and contact lenses are noticing they aren’t working as well for you as they used to. 

It may be as simple as needing glasses as you get older or giving your eyes a rest. Or it could be something more serious.  However, like in other areas of our health, waiting until there is a problem, isn’t the best course of action.  A comprehensive eye exam detects health issues beyond whether or not you could benefit from corrective lenses. 

Eye Health for Women

For women, in particular, there are eye health issues that can be impacted by pregnancy and hormonal changes and some eye diseases are more prevalent in women.  (more on these later in the article)

• 65% of people in the U.S. with Age-Related Macular degeneration (AMD)

• 61% of people in the U.S. with Cataracts are women

• Women are twice as likely to have Dry Eye Disease as men. Hormonal changes in pregnancy and menopause can contribute to DED

• 67% of people in the U.S. with Glaucoma are women

• Thyroid Eye Disease is 5 to 6 times more common in women

• If you have diabetes and are pregnant, you are more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy

When should I get regular exams, if my vision is clear?

The American Academy of Opthalmology recommends we add a comprehensive eye exam to our healthcare routine starting at 40 and should have a few exams in your twenties and thirties if you have clear vision.  You’ll capture a baseline and be able to track any changes in our vision proactively.

What kinds of eye tests might the doctor perform? 

If it’s been a while or your doctor wants to do some advanced tests, here are some of the types of eye exams you can expect.

• The Visual Acuity Test is the traditional eye chart test you know with the letters that get smaller down the chart

• The Retinal Exam is when the doctor dilates your pupils and uses a special lamp, called a slit, or an ophthalmoscope to examine the lens

• If you are being tested for cataracts, the doctor may perform an Applanation Tonometry, which tests the fluid pressure in your eyes

• A Field of Vision test assesses how well you see without moving your eyes including peripheral vision. 

• You know that mask with all the lenses the doctor flips? When the doctor asks you - “Which is better 1 or 2?”. That’s a Refraction assessment Sometimes this is a computerized test as well.

• There are two tests if your doctor suspects AMD. During a fluorescein angiography dye is injected into a vein in your arm and pictures are taken as it passes through your retina. They may also show you an Amsler Grid. Which is a visual test to see if straight lines appear wavy to you

What symptoms and risks should I be looking out for in the illnesses previously mentioned?

Here are some quick facts

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) 

• Vision loss at the center of your field of vision

• Straight lines appear wavy

• Contributing factors are smoking, high blood pressure, and diet high in saturated fat

Cataracts

• Clouding of the clear lens of the eye

• Develop slowly

• Night vision impairment

• Sensitivity to light

• Colors appear less bright or vivid

• Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, previous eye injury or surgery, increasing age

Dry Eye Disease (DED)

• Burning, scratchy eyes

• Red eyes

• Ligh sensitivity 

• Risk factors include age, use of contacts, low Vitamin A or omega-3 fatty acids, and some autoimmune illnesses. 

• Can be treated with OTC eye drops or prescription medications in most cases

Glaucoma

• Glaucoma Is a group of diseases, rather than a single illness.

• Caused by damage to the optic nerve

• Extra fluid causes pressure called intraocular pressure

• Risk factors include family history, high blood pressure, eye injury, and long-term use of corticosteroids. 

Thyroid Eye Disease

• Considered a rare condition and most commonly occurs along with Graves’ Disease

• Swelling of tissues making the eye appear puffy or baggy

• Bulging eyes

• Redness or irritation

• Double vision

• Feeling of pressure

• Risks factors include thyroid disease, smoking, previous radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid disease, and stress.

Diabetic Retinopathy

• Can cause vision loss in people with Diabetes

• Blurry vision

• Floating spots in vision

• Blindness

• Diagnosed through a dilated eye exam

• Can lead to Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

• Can lead to Neovascular Glaucoma

• May be treated with injections or laser treatments

Resources

Cleveland Clinic Tips for Computer Vision Syndrome

How Preganancy can impact your vision from Verywell Health

American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart site for Tips and Prevention for eye health at all stages of your life