Regular eye exams can save your life. It’s a compelling enough reason to schedule your eye exam and attend the appointment. The exams can detect general issues that could affect your health. They can detect eye diseases that could cause blindness. Here are some eye diseases that regular eye exams can help detect.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a silent disease, but the doctor can detect it during your comprehensive eye exams. It creeps into your life, leaving you unaware as it damages your optic nerve until it is too late. It could result in vision loss or blindness if you do not get treatment.

Research shows you can still get glaucoma even when your eye pressure is normal. However, it often occurs when the fluid pressure in the eye rises. Early treatment of glaucoma can also protect you from other critical conditions.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a critical health issue. Regular eye exams can help detect it before it takes a toll on your body. One way it does this is by causing problems with your eyes. It results in diabetic retinopathy, a condition that progressively damages the blood vessels in your retina. The disease progresses through four stages. These are:
 

• Mild nonproliferative retinopathy

• Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy

• Severe nonproliferative retinopathy

• Proliferative retinopathy

The risks decrease the earlier you get treatment. You will also learn how to deal with your diabetes to avoid further complications. 

Cataracts

Cataracts are the clouding of your natural eye lens. It can occur at any age because of various issues. However, the doctor can detect it if you get regular eye exams. Detection will facilitate treatment and slow the disease’s progression.

Otherwise, you may need surgery that replaces your natural eye lens with an artificial one. The eye disease can also lead to vision loss and blindness without early and appropriate treatment.

Retinal Detachment

The condition refers to the separation of the retina from the tissues that hold it in place. You may notice some symptoms depending on the severity of your condition. However, some people will brush them off. These symptoms include light flashes, squiggly lines or dark spots in your vision, or darkening of your side or peripheral vision.

Early detection leads to early treatment. The doctor may recommend different surgical approaches or laser therapy to reattach your retina. The issue can also be a retinal tear, which the doctor can seal using the same procedures.

Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease affecting central vision. The area is responsible for noticing fine details. AMD makes it difficult to drive and read when you get the disease. There are two types of the disease, wet and dry AMD.

The wet version refers to the stage when abnormal blood vessels form under the macula and start leaking. The leakage can cause scarring, damaging the macula. Dry AMD is more prevalent than the wet version. It affects both eyes and can lead to vision loss.

For more about eye diseases that regular eye exams can detect, visit Bright Eyes Vision at our office in Plymouth, Indiana. Call (574) 936-2272 to book an appointment today.