Your eye is the second most complex organ in the body, after the brain. It can focus on 50 different objects every second, distinguish 10 million different colors and is the fastest contracting muscle in the body. Knowing how important your eyes are to your overall health, routine eye exams are a must. Not only do eye checkups look at your current eye health, but also they can assess your risk for certain diseases.

Here are five great reasons why you should take the time to schedule routine eye checkups and not just vision screenings.

1. Assess Your Overall Eye Health

Your eye health is just as important as your body’s health. There are several diseases that eye exams screen for. Glaucoma, for example, is slow-acting so it’s important to catch it early. Cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are other eye diseases that routine eye exams check for. If you’re at risk, your eye doctor can recommend ways to slow progression.

2. Ensure You Have the Right Vision

You might think that you see just fine, even though you don’t. If you’ve noticed that you’ve been squinting to see road signs, menus, books or other objects, a routine eye checkup will test your vision. Fortunately, a new pair of glasses or contacts should correct your vision so that you can see clearly – and prevent headaches and eye strain.

3. Detect Underlying Health Issues

Believe it or not, an eye exam is for more than just your eyes. Ophthalmologists can also detect underlying health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cancer by looking at the health and condition of your blood vessels. Frequent eye exams will become even more important if you are diagnosed with one of these conditions.

4. Reduce Myopia Progression

We are facing a myopia epidemic. By 2050, up to half the world is expected to have problems with myopia, or nearsightedness. And, up to 15 percent of myopic patients will be at risk for glaucoma, retinal detachment and cataracts. Because myopia is being diagnosed more than ever before and earlier than ever before, it’s important to schedule regular eye exams.

5. Establish a Good Patient-Doctor Relationship

Finally, opting in for routine eye checkups is a wonderful way to establish a healthy relationship with your eye doctor. This way, if you wake up one morning with an eye infection, suffer an eye injury or notice changes in your vision, you’ll have a trusted eye doctor to visit. If your eye condition goes beyond what your doctor can provide, they will refer you to a retinal disease specialist.

Just as you see your primary care physician each year to stay on top of your health, you should do the same for your vision. This decision can save your vision one day and preserve your eye health. Contact Empire Retina Consultants to schedule an appointment at your convenience.