My name is Marilyn Baker, and I have horrible allergies. I’m 42 years old and have been suffering from allergies since I was a child. I have seasonal and environmental allergies. Allergies plague me year round. When I was young, my parents even moved to a dryer area in the hope of helping me. Over the past eight years, I have done extensive research both through doctors and online. I have managed to come up with some combinations that have helped me a great deal. My allergies aren’t gone, but they have become manageable. I do have to have allergy shots, but I also use some natural remedies. I am happy to be able to share my findings with you here on my blog. I hope you can find some of this of value.
Although eye exams are typically routine appointments for most people who wear corrective lenses, it is equally important that you go to an ophthalmologist on a regular basis if you don't have vision problems. Routine eye exams can help to identify some serious health conditions before you would notice any other symptoms that would trigger a doctor's visit. Here's a look at a few serious health concerns that often show in your eye exams first.
Thyroid Disease
The thyroid is the gland that controls your metabolism. If you have thyroid disease, it can cause your thyroid to produce too little or too much of the hormone that it uses to do its job. This imbalance in thyroid hormone can cause fatigue, weight gain, joint pain and other similar side effects.
Sometimes, this fluctuation in hormone levels can cause your eyes to bulge or protrude slightly from the socket. While you may not notice the difference, especially if it happens gradually, your ophthalmologist will identify it in the exam. Since it is a key indicator of thyroid conditions, he or she may then recommend that you see your primary care doctor.
Brain Tumor
The term "brain tumor" typically conjures thoughts of cancer treatment, but the truth is that some brain tumors are benign and pose no cancer threat. In either case, the presence of a brain tumor can affect your optic nerve long before you notice any other symptoms. If your eye exam reveals a swollen optic nerve in addition to frequent headaches and blurry vision, you may be advised to reach out to your primary care doctor for testing.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive neurological condition that can cause a variety of symptoms. In its more progressed stages, it can cause memory loss, fatigue and problems with motor skills. In the early development, it can cause things like light sensitivity, blurred vision and swelling in your optic nerve. During an eye exam, your ophthalmologist may recognize these symptoms and suggest that you discuss the problem with your doctor.
Stroke
A stroke is typically the result of a blockage or bleeding in the brain. Sometimes, you can even experience multiple minor strokes without realizing it. Those strokes can leave small blood clots in the vessels in your eyes, which are only identified by a close examination. Your eye doctor may see them during an exam. It's important to identify them if possible, because they can indicate that you're at risk for a serious stroke.
While it may seem more convenient and easier to dismiss eye exams as something only for people with vision trouble, these conditions are nothing to dismiss. Now that you understand some of the benefits of routine eye exams, you can understand why you should visit your eye doctor on a regular basis. Visit a site like http://www.drgrantmdretinalspecialist.com for more info.
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