Eye Exams before travelling
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It’s one of the perks of turning 65. Free eye exams. Ontario residents reaching that milestone are entitled to annual vision checks through OHIP. But it’s a healthcare benefit often overlooked, especially by those choosing to ride out the winter in a warmer setting.
An annual eye exam has been part of Pat Vollick’s routine for years: “That’s just one of those healthcare needs I guess you take care of and as we become seniors it’s more important.”
But Pat’s attitude isn’t the norm. Especially among seniors embarking on winter vacations. Eye check-ups don’t make the ‘to-do-list’.
But Burlington Optometrist Dr. Breanne Facey says waiting for symptoms can be dangerous: “Most frequently it’s the patients who are really having those severe symptoms. They’re the ones making sure they’re coming in. When someone really hasn’t experienced those symptoms, they tend to put that aside and think oh i’ll deal with it when I get back. Patients are at higher risk for eye diseases just with age alone. Some of the eye diseases that we see don’t have any symptoms in the early stages that would trigger a person to think they’ve been affected by the disease.”
Among those diseases, macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 65. And glaucoma, a condition that snuck up on Pat three-years ago: “It’s under control. I just take a drop in each eye at nighttime. I’ve had no symptoms at all so if I hadn’t had regular check-ups I wouldn’t have known.”
Dr. Facey says: “It’s that routine exam where we’re detecting the small changes that would indicate ok we’re seeing signs of glaucoma. This is something we need to be treated so we can prevent vision loss. When we start getting vision loss it’s already too late in the disease and it’s hard to reverse.”
Another element to keep in mind. Eye trouble is often compounded by systemic diseases.
Dr Facey: “People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol those all increase your risk factors for these eye diseases. And if you’re dealing with both sometimes the eye disease can progress quickly in a short period of time.”
When it comes to good vision, experts say the best defence is a healthy lifestyle. A balanced diet, regular exercise and quality sleep impact your eyes as much as the rest of your body. We just rarely make that connection.
