Why You Need to See an Eye Doctor Every Year

Are you one of nearly 2.5 billion people in the world who suffer from nearsightedness? Even if you wear glasses or contact lenses, it doesn't mean you can forget about your eyesight. Visiting an eye doctor each year is imperative for your vision health. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, annual exams can help prevent and control eye disease.

Nearsightedness Can Impact Overall Vision Health

When you are nearsighted, objects in the distance appear blurry. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, nearsightedness often includes eyestrain, headaches, squinting, and difficulty seeing objects at a distance. Nearsightedness is when the distance between your cornea and the retina is too far. Light does not bend correctly and doesn't focus properly on your retina.

Even if you treat your nearsightedness with glasses, it is important to see an eye doctor each year. Studies show that those with high levels of nearsightedness are at an increased risk of developing myopic macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, retinal holes and tears, or retinal detachment. In the largest study of its kind in the U.S., the American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that 9.6 million adults are severely nearsighted, leading to these increased risks.

Early treatment is important in preventing vision loss, so you must visit an eye doctor for a complete eye examination. The CDC argues that a regular examination with an eye doctor could have significantly changed the outcome of those who lose their vision. In fact, they estimate that out of 61 million adults at high risk of vision loss in the U.S., only half of those saw an eye doctor in the past year.

Do I Have Alte atives for My Vision Future?

There are some innovative treatments available today for nearsightedness. When you visit your eye doctor, you might want to discuss some of the ways available to deal with your blurry vision. The most common way to treat nearsightedness is with eye glasses. Other treatments include daytime contact lenses, surgery, or orthokeratology. Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, is a non-surgical way to treat nearsightedness.

Ortho-K is a process in which your eye doctor carefully maps out the shape and condition of your cornea. You are then fitted with oxygen-permeable contact lenses that you wear ove ight to help treat nearsightedness. Paragon CRT® was the first FDA-approved ove ight corneal reshaping lens and has been available since 2002. Once your eye doctor fits your eyes with custom CRT® lenses, you sleep in them ove ight to slowly and gently reshape your cornea. In the morning, remove the lenses for improved vision that lasts all day without glasses or daytime contacts. Patients experience clearer vision after just one night of wearing their Paragon CRT® lenses. Completed treatment occurs between seven to 14 days.

Finding an Eye Doctor Near You

Nearsightedness is growing rapidly, approaching epidemic levels. It is estimated that by 2020, more than one-third of the world's population, or about 2.5 billion people, will suffer from nearsightedness. Find an eye doctor and keep up-to-date on your vision health. Your eye care professional will be able to help you determine if Paragon CRT® contact lenses are right for you.