The health of your eyes goes far beyond seeing well! Do you get annual checkups?

We usually think we only need to go to the optician when our vision starts to blur, right? Well, that's a total mistake. That feeling of not seeing well is just a sign that something isn't working as it should. A timely checkup can be crucial to treating eye diseases before they become a serious problem.

Getting your eyes checked at least once a year is a very important preventive measure, and more and more people are realizing this. During these checkups, the specialist can detect problems even before you notice any symptoms, and thus, they can be treated early to avoid future complications.

A fundamental part of this examination is the fundus examination . That is, looking directly inside your eye. This exam analyzes the condition of the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye) and the optic nerve (the "cable" that connects the eye to the brain). Thanks to this in-depth examination, a host of disorders can be detected, including:

• Retinal detachment : separation of the retina from the rest of the eye. This is serious, and people with myopia are at greater risk for it.
• Retinal thrombosis : Obstruction of the retinal veins
• Macular degeneration : This is the most common cause of loss of sharp, central vision, especially after age 50. It's like the center of what you see becomes blurred.
• Diabetic retinopathy : This problem affects the blood vessels in the retina and can affect people with diabetes. Sometimes, even people with type 2 diabetes who didn't know they had it have been diagnosed because retinopathy was detected during a routine fundus exam.
• Glaucoma : This is where peripheral vision is lost, similar to tunnel vision. This occurs due to damage to the optic nerve, often caused by increased pressure within the eye. If not treated promptly, it can cause blindness! Be careful with this!
• Ocular melanoma : This is a type of cancer that can affect different parts of the eye

And these are just a few examples of the diseases that can be prevented or detected early with an annual checkup. At first, many of them don't show any signs until they're quite advanced. That's why it's so important not to skip these regular checkups. Furthermore, they don't just detect eye diseases, but sometimes they can also reveal clues to general diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Your eyes can be a window into your overall health.

After age 40, it's even more crucial to remember to get your eye exam. The risk of developing eye diseases increases significantly from this age onwards.

And if you have any vision problems, diabetes, or family members with glaucoma or macular degeneration, your specialist will tell you how often you need checkups. In these cases, prevention is even more important.

Catching all these problems in time will prevent us from having much more serious ones in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Eye Health and Fundus Examination

1. Why is it important to have an annual fundus exam even if you have good vision? Many serious eye diseases don't present symptoms in their early stages. An annual fundus exam allows these problems to be detected early and treated to prevent complications and vision loss.
2. What can be detected in a fundus exam? It can analyze the condition of the retina and optic nerve, detecting disorders such as retinal detachment, retinal thrombosis, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and ocular melanoma, among others.
3. Are people with myopia at higher risk for eye disease? Yes, people with myopia are at higher risk for retinal detachment. Therefore, annual checkups are especially important for them.
4. At what age is it most important to have annual eye exams? Starting at age 40, the incidence of many eye diseases increases significantly, making annual exams even more crucial.
5. How often should people with diabetes have their eyes checked? People with diabetes should follow their healthcare provider's recommendations, but an annual fundus examination is generally recommended to detect and monitor diabetic retinopathy.
6. Can a fundus examination detect diseases other than ocular ones? Yes, in some cases, a fundus examination can provide clues to systemic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure by observing the blood vessels in the retina.
7. What is glaucoma and why is it important to detect it early? Glaucoma is a loss of peripheral vision caused by damage to the optic nerve, often due to increased intraocular pressure. If left untreated, it can cause irreversible blindness.
8. What should I do if I notice any unusual symptoms with my vision between annual checkups? If you experience any unusual symptoms such as sudden blurred vision, eye pain, flashing lights, or vision loss, you should see an eye care professional as soon as possible, without waiting for your annual checkup.
9. Is the annual fundus examination painful or invasive? No, the fundus examination is generally not painful. Sometimes drops are used to dilate the pupils, which can cause temporary blurred vision and light sensitivity, but the examination itself is quick and painless.
10. Can an annual fundus exam detect strabismus (crossed eyes)? While the fundus exam focuses on the health of the retina and optic nerve, a comprehensive eye exam during your annual exam will also assess eye alignment and coordination, which can help detect strabismus and other binocular vision problems.
It will prevent you from having more important ones in the future.