Eyes are among the most significant organs of our body, yet sometimes, we tend to overlook them. Well, that is until a minor issue changes into a serious one. To ensure optimal eye health, we must catch eye and vision issues well in time so that we can get timely treatment and continue to enjoy clear vision.
Here is an eye problems list – signs that indicate it is time to visit an eye specialist:
1. Blurry Vision
If you start experiencing blurred vision all of a sudden, it could signal a number of diverse eye conditions. On the one hand, it could be due to refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), or changing prescription.
On the other hand, it could even be a pointer to serious conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, or retinal disease. A comprehensive eye exam can determine the cause and correct the issue early on.
2. Frequent Headaches
We think of headaches as a part and parcel of our life. Stress – physical and emotional – can result in persistent mild headaches near the temples. It can also cause piercing pain behind the eyes.
If you have headaches on a regular basis, you may have eye infection, eye strain, or even glaucoma. It could also be due to vision issues, such as refractive errors, convergence insufficiency or amblyopia. An eye doctor can determine if your headaches are eye-related.
3. Eye Pain or Discomfort
Mild irritation and discomfort could point to some common eye conditions, such as allergy, something getting into the eye, infection, dry eye, or a corneal problem.
However, conditions such as ocular tumours and glaucoma can also make your eyes pain a lot, and lead to blindness in a matter of a few days.
You must not ignore any kind of persistent discomfort in the eye.
4. Difficulty Seeing at Night
If you face hardships seeing properly at night or are seeing haloes around lights, it can be a marker to degenerating vision.
Although it is a natural part of the aging process to be unable to see clearly at night, it could also be a signal to serious eye health issues, including cataract and macular degeneration. These symptoms may start subtly and worsen over time if left untreated.
5. Sensitivity to Light
Some sensitivity to light is normal, particularly when you move from indoors to outdoors. However, increased light sensitivity may indicate eye inflammation, and serious eye conditions, like early cataracts, corneal abrasion, or keratoconus. Such issues require professional evaluation by an optometrist.
6. Changes in Vision or Eye Appearance
Sudden floaters (tiny specks or threads floating across your vision), flashes of light, or shadows in your side vision can signal retinal detachment or other serious eye issues.
There’s nothing wrong if you see floaters or flashing lights once in a while. Also, the frequency may increase as you cross your fifties.
However, if you see an exceptionally huge number of floaters or flashing lights, there is a possibility of a retinal tear or detachment.
Apart from that, any visible changes in your eyes, such as change in eye colour, bulging of eyes, or droopiness demand immediate attention of an ophthalmologist.
Conclusion
Your eyes generally give subtle warnings when something is wrong. We advise you not to wait for symptoms to aggravate. If you experience any of these early signs, book an appointment with your eye doctor. Protect your vision with timely diagnosis and treatment.