Optometrists

Answer 1

Going to the optometrist can make a person anxious. Most people are at least a little squeamish about their eyes, but having so many machines and such hovering around and and so many people and things prodding near the eyes can be downright terrifying for some. Nonetheless, keeping your eyes healthy is a necessity, especially as you get older, and regular visits to the optometrist are the only way to be certain that your eyes are free of illness or defects, and that your vision continues to be clear.

Generally a visit to an optometrist will include a number of tests that gauge your level of vision and the health of your eyes. Some can be a little uncomfortable, but most are painless and should present no cause for anxiety. It is best to visit an optometrist once a year, though some people, especially those with chronic optical ailments or vision problems may go every six months, or even more often than that. This is one situation where an once of prevention is worth a full ton of cure!

Many people first go to the optometrist when they notice problems, particularly those which decrease quality of vision. The majority of patients seen by most optometrists are there for simple correction of vision. Optometrists make the glasses which keep many people from being unable to see. They usually have a showroom dozens (sometimes hundreds) of frames to choose from, then a lab with technicians to fit your specific lenses into the frames you choose. An exam and consultation with an optometrist is also the only way to get a prescription for contact lenses, which cannot be purchased legally without a prescription.

There are also a number of ocular diseases and defects which can be prevented or more easily treated by going to an optometrist routinely. Cataracts and glaucoma are treated best and most easily if they are detected early, but most general practice physicians simply don’t have the expertise to diagnose or heal these ailments. Other illnesses, such as Diabetes, can cause disastrous effects on the eyes, and may even lead to blindness. If you have concerns about your eyes, it is best to see an optometrist right away!