Why You Should Book An Eye Test

So the other day I had my routine eye test. Yay! There’s nothing I love more than having bright lights and air puffs invade my eyes! Seriously though, this was very important.

It may sound amusing when someone who’s registered blind says they’re going for an eye test. Actually it is; I usually have a good laugh with the optician. When you think about it though, it could be argued that going for these appointments is even more important as a visually impaired person. Here’s why:

1. Degenerative eye conditions can cause chaos. The phrase ‘going blind’ often conjures up images of someone waking up one morning to suddenly find everything has gone black. That’s far from the reality though. The sight loss journey is different for everyone. Some people will lose large chunks of vision at a time, requiring constant trips to the optician and new pair of glasses every few months. For others, it’s a gradual decline. Their sight can disappear so slowly they don’t even realise how drastic the change really is. Even those of us with stable conditions can get caught out by accelerated natural degeneration. Frequent tests are the only way to keep on top of things.
2. Being blind doesn’t make us immune to cancer, brain tumours, Diabetes or other bad stuff. They say the eyes are a window to the soul- but more importantly, they can reveal details about a person’s overall health. There are certain conditions that can be detected based on changes to the eyes. Even if you see no noticeable difference, the trained experts know what to look out for. Going for your routine check-up can reveal problems you were completely unaware of and be the starting point for diagnosis and treatment. It could even save your life.
3. Eye conditions (well disabilities in general) often come in package deals. Nystagmus is like the ketchup packet of eye problems- it turns up so often its probability isn’t far off being a coin flip. I have Albinism, which puts me at increased risk of developing Glaucoma, along with other age-related conditions. My optician is therefore very diligent about checking my eye pressure and nerves to make sure there are no concerning changes.
4. At least half of sight loss is preventable. By going for regular check-ups, we can encourage our sighted friends to also book theirs. Although being visually impaired is far from being the end of the world, why should innocent people have to struggle? If a child loses their sight, the parents may feel incredibly guilty for not being diligent enough. Normalising the routine of visiting the optician every 1-2 years will greatly improve the overall eye health of society.

Fortunately, my results came back positive. Everything is stable at the moment which is a big relief. I experienced more migraines than usual during 2020 and was growing increasingly concerned. Hopefully the pandemic will not disrupt any more appointments.

So why are you still here? Get off the internet and go book an eye test!