How Regular Eye Appointments Can Save You From Blindness

As you get older, you know it’s critical to take care of your health.  That’s why you schedule regular appointments and check-ups with your doctor, eat a healthy and well-rounded diet, and try to sneak in as much exercise as possible.  While these steps can help you get a leg up on the aging process – including all of the health risks associated with it – it’s important to be similarly dedicated to your ocular health.

In short, if you’re not scheduling yearly eye exams with your ophthalmologist, you may be putting your vision in serious jeopardy.

Keep in mind that one of the biggest risks to your eye health as you get older is AMD, or age-related macular degeneration.  This eye disease strikes quickly with often severe effects, as it’s the number one cause of blindness in Americans who are over the age of 65.  If you’re suffering from AMD, you may be suffering from the following symptoms:

• You’ve discovered a blind spot in the center of your vision;
• Distorted vision; for example, you could encounter blurriness or straight lines start appearing wavy;
• Blurred vision;
• Worsening of vision over a short period of time;
• Trouble seeing at night.

While these are the most common symptoms of AMD, it’s important to note that this eye disease comes in various forms and stages of severity.  The most common AMD types that older Americans may encounter include dry AMD and wet AMD.  Both types are indicative of late-stage AMD, which means that you’re already suffering a significant loss of vision.  Dry AMD slowly changes your vision over time, meaning your ophthalmologist is more likely to catch this condition with regular eye appointments.  However, wet AMD is far more dangerous and severe, as it’s caused by abnormal blood vessel growth in your retina.  Loss of vision is often sudden and can cause permanent damage to your eye, leading to blindness that practically occurs overnight.

The best way to prevent AMD from happening to you is to schedule regular appointments with your ophthalmologist.  By making regular check-ups, you can ensure that your ophthalmologist is given the opportunity to discover this disease and treat it as quickly and effectively as possible.

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths today at NewView Eye Center in Reston, VA (serving the greater Northern Virginia and Washington DC areas). To learn more just fill out the form in the top left corner or call 703-834-9777.