Caring for your eyesight can be an important responsibility that many people will frequently have a very misinformed understanding of. You may be wondering what practices you should be following to protect your sense of sight. In particular, regular eye exams can be an integral part of caring for your eyes.

Eye Exams Are Not Only For Those That Need Eyeglasses Or Contact Lenses

There is a common misconception that eye exams are only needed for individuals that have vision problems that need corrective lenses. However, it is a reality that everyone should receive regular eye exams, as there are other issues that your eyes could develop that will need to be treated. An example of this could be the formation of cataracts on the lenses of the eyes. These growths may not have a noticeable impact on your ability to see when they are first starting to form. However, regular eye exams can identify these growths so that they can be treated with drops to slow their development and delay the need to undergo surgery to remove these growths.

Bring Your Current Corrective Lenses With You To The Eye Exam

If you currently wear corrective lenses, you should always consider bringing them with you. As part of your eye exam, the optometrist may benefit from being able to assess your current eyewear. This can offer important information that may assist them with evaluating your vision or even updating your prescription. Unfortunately, this is a step that some people may not fully appreciate, as they may assume that this is only recommended if they are planning on having their lenses for their current glasses updated. However, this is recommended for anyone that wears these lenses.

Be Prepared If Your Exam Will Involve Dilating Your Pupils

Having your pupils dilated can allow the optometrist to effectively assess the interior of your eye to look for health problems or other issues that the patient may need to know about. While this can be an important step for allowing the optometrist to provide an effective evaluation, it can leave the patient's eyes extremely sensitive to bright light for several hours following the procedure. For this reason, a person may want to arrange for a friend or family member to drive them to their eye appointment. For those with high blood pressure, diabetes or other medical conditions that could impact the vascular system in the eye, this can be an especially important part of the eye exam process.