Our eyes are among the most sensitive parts of our body. That’s why when you’ve got eye problems like redness or infection, you shouldn’t treat it lightly and instead, seek the help of an eye doctor ASAP.
Untreated eye problems can lead to bigger problems like blurry vision, astigmatism, or glaucoma. Fortunately, eye exams can help you detect issues early on and find solutions for them before they worsen.
So, we talked to the doctors at Eye Specialist Singapore, a specialist eye practice, about some of the signs you should visit an eye doctor. According to them, the following are signs your eyes need a check-up:
1. You experience chronic headaches.
If you’ve been noticing constant headaches, maybe it’s time to check in with your optometrist.
The optic nerves found in our eyes are linked to the brain. That’s why undergoing an eye exam may help if you have recurring headaches — eye problems may be the root cause.
For serious cases, the headaches you’ve been feeling may be due to astigmatism, far-sightedness, or glaucoma. That’s why it’s vital to visit your eye doctor while it’s still early, so as not to aggravate your situation.
2. Your eyes hurt if you stare at a computer screen for too long.
This may be a sign that you need to see an eye doctor because it’s often linked to far-sightedness. That’s why you may need to get an optical exam to test if spectacles or lenses can help.
That being said, it’s not always far-sightedness that’s the culprit. You may also want to try a few quick adjustments at home first, to see if anything changes for the better afterwards.
Sometimes, it can be as easy as improving your monitor’s lighting and contrast settings. On other occasions, something as simple as taking a break to let your eyes rest can fix the problem.
3. You spot unusual lights and flashes, or have poor peripheral vision.
If you find yourself noticing tiny dark or bright spots in your vision once in a while, that’s usually not a big deal… especially if you’re trying to readjust to the light after coming from a dark room.
If it happens regularly and in a way that already impedes your daily tasks, though, it’s time to see your eye doctor.
Another sign could also be having a difficult time seeing through the sides of your eyes. This is often due to retinal detachment.
A retinal detachment happens when your retina is torn away from your eye’s back wall. It is considered a serious case because it may lead to permanent loss of vision or total blindness if left untreated.
As such, any suspicion of it should lead you to an eye doctor as soon as possible.
4. You have an eye infection.
What are the symptoms of an eye infection? According to WebMD, they include these:
- Feeling a sudden discomfort in your eye as if there’s something in it.
- Experiencing redness, pain, and a discharge coming out of it that leads to involuntary tears.
- Being too sensitive to light.
- Having blurry vision.
An eye doctor will prescribe you with antibiotics or eye drops, which will cure the infection and stop it from getting worse.
5. You feel your vision getting blurry.
Occasional blurred vision can result from a number of things. Lack of sleep, drinking too much, and the feeling of having just woken up are some of the mundane things that you don’t have to worry about.
But if you do experience your vision constantly blurring, you should go visit your eye doctor. It could be a serious sign that your eyesight has deteriorated.
In addition, if you notice an irregularity with your vision (having clear eyesight one moment and blurry vision the next), it may be due to dry eye, astigmatism, or even diabetes. This gives you even more reasons to visit your eye doctor right away!
