As summer winds down and fall routines begin, doctors say it is a good time to make sure regular eye exams are on the calendar.
Dr. Adam Licurse, a primary care physician at Mass General Brigham and a Senior Medical Director with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, says comprehensive eye exams can be important even for people who believe they can see just fine.
“Eye exams are so important and often surprising,” Licurse said. “They really though allow us a rare and really direct look at your overall health.”
Licurse said many people think eye exams are only about updating glasses or contact lens prescriptions, but doctors use them to screen for disease. Looking at the retina, the back of the eye, is one of the only non-invasive ways to directly visualize blood vessels and nerves. That can help doctors spot evidence of diseases affecting those systems, including glaucoma, changes from diabetes and hypertension, and less common inflammatory or neurologic diseases.
Why exams matter even if your vision seems fine
Licurse said it is natural for patients to think that if their vision is not bothering them, they may not need an eye exam. But the goal is often to find problems before they cause vision changes or vision loss.
“That may mean finding a disease like glaucoma or macular degeneration before you experience any vision change or vision loss,” Licurse said.
He said eye exams can also help identify complications from common diseases, including diabetic eye disease, before those problems progress and become harder to treat.
Ways to support eye health
Licurse said the most important step is simply scheduling the visit. He described the exam as painless and said the hardest part for many patients is making the appointment.
He also recommends vigorous exercise, eating a diet rich in produce to help keep blood vessels healthy, wearing UV-blocking sunglasses, and taking breaks from screens.
For people who spend much of the day looking at a computer or phone, Licurse recommends looking away from devices a couple of times an hour and focusing on distant points around the room to help keep eye muscles healthy.
Warning signs to watch for
Licurse said any sudden changes in vision should be taken seriously. Red eyes that are also painful are another warning sign.
He said small floaters can be common, but larger floaters or a feeling that “a curtain is coming down” should prompt immediate medical attention.
Anyone experiencing those symptoms should call their primary care doctor, contact an eye clinic, or seek urgent evaluation through an emergency eye clinic.
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