EYE EXAMS CAN DETECT EARLY SIGNS OF DISEASE HIDING IN YOUR BODY

August is National Eye Exam month, and its goal is to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye exams to keep eyes healthy and vision clear throughout every stage of a person’s life. “Routine eye exams are important for everyone to have, from birth through old age,“ said Peter Mueller, director, Blue Shield of California Specialty Benefits.  Mueller advises anyone in any health plan – whether it is individual and family, commercial, Medicare, or Medi-Cal – to carefully review whether the options offered include vision coverage.

“People are three times more likely to get their eyes examined than schedule a routine physical, so it’s likely that their first clue that they have a serious health condition comes at the eye doctor’s office. If they get such a diagnosis, it’s vital that they follow it up with visits to their primary care physician and specialists for specific tests,” he said.

“Most people know it’s important to get routine vision checkups for their children and themselves, but they are startled to learn about the dozens of serious medical conditions that eye exams can uncover,” said Mueller. These include critical health issues such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s. Here are a few examples of health conditions that a visit to an optometrist or ophthalmologist can help detect: