Four Signs You Need New Glasses – 06/17/2023 – Equilibrium

How long has it been since you’ve been to the ophthalmologist?

Mark T. Dunbar, director of the optometry service at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami – considered one of the best eye clinics in the United States – recommends that the review be carried out annually.

“In certain cases you can do it every two years, but ideally it’s annual,” Dunbar told BBC News Mundo, the BBC’s Spanish-language news service.

Despite the importance of having good vision, many people do not pay due attention to eye health, either because they believe they see well or because, at some point, they went to the ophthalmologist to have glasses made.

“People who have had good eyesight all their lives take it for granted,” Dunbar reckons.

“It’s not uncommon to see people in their 40s or 50s who have never had an eye exam.”

According to the specialist, due to the complexity of the human eye, it is easy not to notice some changes, such as small variations in the quality of vision between the two eyes or even a general worsening of vision.

“If you don’t update your prescription, you’re basically not going to see well,” he says, referring to patients who wear glasses.

Dunbar lists below some signs that indicate it’s time for an eye exam, whether for the first time or to upgrade your eyeglasses.

1. Difficulty seeing when driving

According to Dunbar, “When all of a sudden you’re trying to read a road sign and you can’t until you’re very close to it, it’s usually a warning sign.”

Just like a camera, your eyes need to focus light on the retina to see clearly.

When you have a problem like nearsightedness, light is focused in front of the retina, which can make distant objects like street signs look blurry.

Driving with this condition can be especially challenging at night.

What the glasses do for your eyes is not only to optimize the entry of light, but also allow its distribution to be done correctly across the ocular surface.

Plus, new anti-reflective lens technology helps reduce light glare so you can see more clearly.

2. Difficulty seeing up close

If you find yourself trying really hard when reading a book or something on your phone screen, even with your glasses on, that’s a sign that you need a fresh prescription.

In presbyopia, which is a normal aging process, the lens in our eyes loses flexibility, making it difficult to focus on nearby objects.

Dunbar says that the health of the eyes may be fine, but the problem lies in the refraction of light. When it does not focus properly on the retina, the image may appear blurry.

Glasses correct the refraction problem and keep you from straining your eye too much when trying to read.

3. Vision that fluctuates during the day

If you notice that your vision fluctuates throughout the day, it could be another sign that you need to change your glasses.

Dunbar explains that one of the main reasons for this is eye strain, which is caused by eye muscle fatigue.

If you focus on a single point for a long time, such as when working at a computer screen, your eyes may become tired and your ability to focus may decrease.

“When you’re doing a task that you’re really focused on, whether it’s working on the computer, watching a movie or reading a book, the frequency with which we blink decreases, probably to half of normal.”

This can get worse if you are straining your eyes, trying to compensate for any visual deficit you have, making your eyes tired and seeing worse at the end of the day.

If this is your case, maybe it’s time to pay a visit to the ophthalmologist.

4. Vision changes in one or both eyes

Rapid changes in vision in one or both eyes could be a sign that something more serious is going on.

According to Dunbar, “If you’re not seeing well, it could be something as simple as changing your glasses, but it could also be something more significant.”

For example, loss of vision in a short period of time could be a sign of cataracts – which, according to the expert, can make it difficult to see clearly, drive at night and focus.

“With the technology we have today, cataract surgery is outpatient and takes 15 minutes,” he points out.

But eye health can also help identify more serious problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, which can cause changes in the blood vessels in the eye.

“All of these are reasons to recommend that people get regular eye exams, not just to get the best possible vision,” concludes Dunbar.

This text was published here