Eye Health
Why have your eyes tested?
Even if your eyes are not giving you any problems, there are still at least 7 good reasons for having a regular eye examination:
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Some eye conditions don't give rise to symptoms until they become severe.
A good example of this is glaucoma. It often gives no symptoms until the condition is quite advanced and much more difficult to treat. A regular eye exam lets you know that your eyes are healthy.
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You may not know what you're missing out on in terms of clarity of vision.
Everyone gets used to the vision they have, and may be unaware of how much clarity they are missing out on. A regular eye exam lets you know the full potential of your vision.
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You may not know what comfortable eyes really feel like.
Many people put up with watery or dry eyes, or mildly uncomfortable eyes, not knowing that sometimes there is a simple remedy. We may not be able to make everyone's eyes comfortable, but we may be able to help yours. A regular eye exam will help get your eyes as comfortable as they can be.
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Previously undiagnosed general health problems are sometimes picked up through an eye examination.
Sometimes the first a person knows that they might have high blood pressure, diabetes, or other general health problems is when they get their eyes tested. A regular eye exam can be literally a lifesaver.
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Technology moves on - some things are possible now that were not before.
You may have been told before that you can't wear contact lenses, your glasses lenses have to be thick, or that there is no treatment for your eye condition. But things change, and new products, techniques and treatments are always emerging. A regular eye exam keeps you up to date with today's options, not yesterday's limitations.
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Establishing a baseline set of records for your eyes.
Your first eye examination creates a record of your eyes and vision that can be helpful down the track to know whether things have changed. A regular eye exam now helps us give you better advice in the future.
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It won't cost you the earth.
If nothing else will motivate you to get your eyes examined, then maybe it will help you to know that if you have a valid Medicare card, and haven't had an eye exam elsewhere in the last 2 years, then getting your eyes examined at Sharpe & Fowler can be bulk-billed to Medicare at no cost to you.
Eye Health Facts
UV and the eyes
Ultraviolet is invisible light just off the blue-violet end of the colour spectrum. Being short wavelengh, it is high energy, and as anyone with a sunburn will tell you, get enough of it and it damages tissue. High dose UV can cause eye lid sunburn, 'arc eye' and 'snowblindness' as it burns the cornea. But what about long-term exposure?
Long term UV exposure has been linked to cataracts, pterygia and macular degeneration. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens inside the eye leading to poorer vision and glare sensitivity. A pterygium is a connective tissue growth on the front of the eye, which can get inflamed and interfere with vision. Macular degeneration is a change in the retina at the back of the eye, reducing vision and is the most common cause of legal blindness.
Reduce your UV exposure with UV blocking lenses and a broad brimmed hat when out in the sun, and in time to come your eyes may thank you for it.