Proper Eye Care May Require More Than Annual Visits

Historically, many people have been told that they should visit their eye doctors annually in order to get their eyes checked and receive eye care Boulder.

Unfortunately, focusing on visiting the eye doctor once a year does not help people prevent complications of the eye, which can jeopardize their eyesight. The following are reasons people may need to visit their eye doctor more frequently.

Accidents that Injure Eyes 

Many people of different ages experience accidents that lead to eye injuries. In severe cases it is obvious when someone should visit their eye doctor in order to help preserve their sight. However, there are accidents that cause injuries to people’s eyes that are not so obvious and many people fail to get the care they need from their ophthalmologist. Complications resulting from failing to get proper care include, infections, reduced vision, and loss of sight. Whenever anyone experiences an accident that injures their eye, they need to visit the doctor immediately and as frequently as prescribed.

Aging

Individuals that are aging face many complications with their bodies. For instance, their eyes do not adjust to light as they did when they were younger, which causes them to see blurry images. Although the loss of sight is a normal process of aging, visiting the ophthalmologist can help seniors retain as much of their vision as they can while they are aging, which improves their quality of life. People should not limit their visits to annual screenings since preventing damage to one’s eye is extremely important.

Individuals Battling Diseases 

Aging, weak immune systems, and a host of other complications increase the rate at which Americans are acquiring diseases. Many of these diseases impact a person’s vision, even though the disease may not directly deal with their eyes. People who are battling these diseases must report to their eye doctor for eye car in Boulder on a regular basis so that their doctor can educate them on maintaining their vision. 

People should not jeopardize their vision by limiting their visits to the eye doctor to just one each year. They should cherish and protect their vision by visiting their eye doctor frequently after an accident, if they are battling diseases, or if they are a part of the aging community. With regular visits to their ophthalmologist, they can reduce complications, which helps them maintain their vision longer.

Common Eye Care Practices and Options

There are many facets to eye care Boulder and elsewhere, but not everyone needs all of them. In fact, most people will only need a few of the possible services beyond an eye exam. This exam is the one thing everyone should have on a regular basis because it allows eye doctors to learn whether or not each person needs anything else.

There are two types of eye exams that are commonly available. The most basic version simply tests visual acuity and is used to determine eyeglass prescriptions. When people want to get a pair of glasses made quickly, they are usually given this type of exam.

The other type of eye exam is far more detailed, and it is used to find out whether any eye diseases are present. Patients can expect to have their pupils dilated so that the doctor can see down to the retina from the outside. Viewing the retina allows the detection of problems like degeneration, retinal tears, and similar things. Air will also be pulsed against the eyes to test how much pressure is within them. This part of the test lets doctors find out whether or not glaucoma is present. A visual acuity test will be done before the pupils get dilated. Once the dilation is done, the ability to focus will be temporarily blocked. This makes it important to do everything in the right order.

If any problems are discovered, the appropriate treatments will be prescribed. In many cases, eye problems can be fixed. Even some forms of glaucoma can now be treated by surgery, whereas in the past, there were no such options.

Patients who were once told that their conditions were untreatable should be sure to continue to get checkups. That way, they can take advantage of any new developments that have come along. As it stands, some of the things that were totally untreatable 20 or so years ago can now either be cured or at least helped by new procedures and medications. Who knows what will be possible five or 10 years from now?

While full-service eye clinics offer advanced treatments and surgical options for a variety of conditions, most people will get even better news from their eye exams: they will have no major problems to worry about. Even so, it's important for people with good eyes (or who only need glasses) to get regular checkups. This will ensure that any emerging problems are caught quickly so that vision can be preserved.

Types Of Diabetic Eye Conditions A Person May Experience

Diabetes is a serious disease that can affect children, adults and older seniors in Boulder. Proper eye care, eating healthy and avoiding bad habits can help people avoid such a disease. If a person does become a diabetic, they can experience a number of health issues such as heart disease, kidney failure and eye diseases. Diabetic eye diseases can be treated if they are detected early. People who do not obtain eye care Boulder when they have diabetes may experience vision loss or blindness.

Types of Diabetic Eye Conditions

There are several different types of diabetic eye diseases. Three of the main diseases are cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common condition a person may experience.

Cataracts

Cataracts are a cloudiness along the lens of the eyes. This cloudiness is caused by protein in the eyes that begins to build up. The build up of protein prevents light from passing through the lens of the eye, which allows for images to be processed by the brain. Cataracts can cause a loss of vision to diabetics as objects look cloud and blurry. Eyeglasses, bifocals or cataract surgery are certain eye care treatments that can correct cataract problems for people in Boulder.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition where there is unwanted pressure to the eye that can damage the optical nerve. This pressure, called intraocular pressure, can continue to increase until a person loses their vision. Glaucoma usually occurs to older adults as it can be hard for a person to detect unless they have routine eye exams.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when there are abnormal blood vessels in the retina. These blood vessels can leak fluid or blood as they swell. For people in Boulder, new blood vessels that are abnormal in nature may begin to grow on the retina's surface. Blindness and vision loss may occur. Laser surgery can treat diabetic retinopathy. This surgery can reduce the chance of a person becoming blind but will not restore vision for a person who may have already lost it. 

Anybody who has diabetes can get any of these diabetic eye diseases. Proper treatment of diabetes and eye care in Boulder can eliminate the chances of getting these diseases or prevent further damage to the eyes. Vision loss does not have to occur so long as a person receives early detection tests and treatment.

3 Tips for Choosing Glasses That Fit Properly

With so many different styles of eyeglasses available these days, it can sometimes be difficult to select the style of frames that are best for one's face. After all, everybody has a different face shape, and not all frames look best on all face shapes. Fortunately, there are a few simple guidelines one can keep in mind while shopping for eyeglasses that can help them select the right frames with confidence.

Where Do the Frames Rest?

When trying on eyeglasses at an eye care boulder, it's important to consider where the frames rest on the face. Ideally, a pair of glasses that fits properly should rest mainly on the bridge of the nose. However, with some of the larger frames that are popular these days, the frames may actually sit more so on the cheeks than on the bridge of the nose. This is a problem because when the person smiles or talks, the eyeglass frames will move. If the frames rest on the cheeks, this is a sign they're too large.

Do the Tops of the Frames Cover the Eyebrows?

Another important consideration to keep in mind when shopping for eyeglass frames is whether or not the tops of the frames cover the eyebrows. Frames that fit properly should rest just below the eyebrows so that the brows are still completely visible. Frames that are too big or thick may actually cover the eyebrows and give the appearance of a unibrow, which isn't the look anybody wants to achieve when shopping for glasses!

What About Face Shape?

Finally, considering one's unique face shape can also help when it comes to shopping for new eyeglasses. Those with round faces, for example, should shop for frames that have sharp angles. This can help to offset the natural roundness of the face and make the face itself appear slimmer. On the other hand, those with an oval or square-jaw face may be better suited for round frames, which can help offset some of the natural angles and longness in the face. Those with a heart-shaped face have it the easiest when shopping for glasses, as they tend to look good in just about any type of eyeglass frames.By keeping these tips in mind while shopping for new glasses, it's easier to find frames that will fit properly and stay in-style for years to come.