2 Questions An Eye Doctor Is Likely To Ask During An Eye Exam
If you currently wear glasses, your eye doctor is likely to suggest an annual eye exam to ensure that your eyes stay in optimal health and that your prescription remains accurate. During the exam, the doctor will likely ask you multiple questions about the activities in which you regularly engage. Here are two of these questions:
How often do you use the computer?
Each time a person looks at the screen of an electrical device, his or her eyes are subjected to blue light. Light that falls in this range of the spectrum can damage the eyes, causing redness and eye strain. Because blue light is highly penetrating, it can also increase your chances of developing chronic eye conditions, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Thus, blue light protection for your eyes is important.
When your eye doctor asks about your computer usage, the answer that you give can help your doctor take measures to reduce your eyes' exposure to the damaging light. If you spend hours in front of a computer on a daily basis, due to work or leisure, your eye doctor is likely to recommend computer glasses or blue-light lenses. The specialized lenses help screen out the blue light to protect your eyes from the retinal damage that it can cause. Blue light tends to damage the cells near the back of the eye.
Exposure is not relegated to computer usage only. Other digital devices, such as cell phones and televisions, also emit blue light.
How much time do you spend outdoors?
Your eye doctor may also want to know how much time you spend outside, since ultraviolet light is emitted from the sun.
Exposure to ultraviolet light without protective lenses can increase your chance of developing cataracts. To protect your eyes, your eye doctor will typically prescribe lenses that include UV protection. Thus, each time you wear your glasses outdoors, you are also protecting your eyes from UV damage.
If you wear contact lenses, they will likely include UV protection, just as the lenses of the glasses do. In addition, for patients who do not need corrective lenses, the eye doctor may suggest sunglasses with UV protection so that regardless of your visual acuity, your eyes remain protected.
If you have not had an eye exam within the last 12 months, schedule an appointment for an eye exam with an eye doctor in your area.
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