You have had your vision tested and were told you have 20/20. That’s great, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. 20/20 vision only indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance. There are other important vision skills, including peripheral awareness or side vision, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability and color vision that contribute to your overall visual ability. Dr. Tschetter believes it is very important to have routine eye exams since, “Some potentially blinding eye diseases, such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, can take years to develop. During this time, they are possibly causing damage to parts of the inner eye, but the central vision can remain unaffected.”

During a comprehensive eye exam, Dr. Tschetter may put drops in your eyes to make your pupils bigger. This way, he can see into the back of your eye and spot vision problems early, before they cause symptoms. Your vision may be blurry or sensitive to light for a few hours afterward. “A patient may find it better to have someone with them to drive,” Dr. Tschetter says.

Vision benefits are often provided by a different company than your main medical coverage. Vision exams, eye treatments, and products like glasses and contacts may all be billed differently. “It can be difficult for patients and even our staff sometimes to understand the hundreds of plans out there,” says Dr. Tschetter. “At least review your plan and have a small idea of what’s going on with your insurance to eliminate confusion.”

Please do not keep your health history a secret from your care providers. “Patients receiving an eye exam often downplay conditions that could point to serious eye diseases,” Dr. Tschetter says. “Not sharing health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, or mental illness, can be detrimental to your vision.” Believe it or not, digestive, metabolic, inflammatory, joint, muscular, and breathing disorders almost all have consequences for your eyes and should be discussed.

The sun’s UV rays harm your eyes just as they damage your skin, increasing your risk of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and even eye cancer. Choose a pair of shades that says it blocks 99% or more of these ultraviolet rays. Wear them any time you’re outdoors, especially during the summer, while at the beach, and when participating in winter sports. Quality sunglasses are as important as sunscreen, and with all of the styles and features available now there is no reason not to protect your eyes.”

Contrary to popular belief, your cataracts don’t have to have progressed to a certain stage or be “ready” before removal. “Once your vision is affected, it’s time to talk to an eye surgeon to determine whether cataract surgery is the right solution for you,” Dr. Tschetter says. In some cases, your doctor can implant a new lens that corrects your vision as well as clears your cataract. This makes it possible that you might not need glasses at all afterward.

It is very easy to prevent eye infections by disinfecting lenses according to your eye doctor’s instructions. Don’t forget to wash the case, bacteria often times thrive there, too. Have the fit of your lenses evaluated on a regular basis. If you don’t, they could scratch your eye or cause new blood vessels to grow into your cornea, clouding your vision.