Frederick Maryland Eye Exams by Dr. Nita Gala

If you have ever experienced even mild vision problems, it is probably a good idea to get an eye exam. Not only could you find out you have a very correctable vision problem, but getting an eye exam could also save your life. There are some very serious health problems that begin as blurred or compromised vision that can be treated – but only if you find the problem and get it diagnosed early. Here is what you need to know about traditional eye exams and what you may find once you get one.

Who Should Get an Eye Exam?

As we briefly touched on in the first paragraph, there are some health problems that have symptoms such as blurred or distorted vision. If you experience either of these issues for even a short amount of time, you should get your eyes checked as soon as possible. It may be nothing, but it is not worth the risk to your health to delay finding out.

Anyone who has to squint often in order to see things clearly should also get their eyes checked. This is particularly true of children, who early on in life may need an eye exam to help them in school. There have been many documented cases of children who were doing poorly in school. Once they had an eye exam and had their vision corrected, they started to flourish in school. Their issue was literally that they could not see the chalkboard and were too embarrassed to say so, or didn’t realize they had vision problems.

If your current vision correction prescription (whether its contact lenses or eyeglasses) is not doing enough for you, and you are still squinting or having blurred vision, you should also get another eye exam to see if it is just a prescription adjustment that is needed or if it could be something more serious.

Common Childhood Vision Problems

Most children who need glasses will need them very early on in life, generally in elementary school. The problem is that since they are so young, they may not realize they need glasses. If their vision has been compromised up to now, they have nothing to compare it to. This is why most schools have mandatory eye exams that are held in school during school hours. If they didn’t do this, it is estimated that more than half of all vision problems in school-aged children would go undiagnosed for a number of years. This could serious affect their education and quality of life.

Near-sightedness (myopia) is a common childhood vision problem. This means that the child is having a hard time seeing things that are more than a couple of feet in front of them. This makes it difficult to learn in school, among other things. The opposite vision problem would be hyperopia, or far-sightedness. This means you can either not see close to you, or your vision is impaired at all distances.

Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is also a common sight problem. The child may be asked to leave school until it clears up, as it is very contagious. It can be easily treated with a round of antibiotics.

Common Adult Vision Problems

As the human body ages, many times the eyes will begin to age and decline in their vision capabilities as well. Presbyopia is arguably the most common of these. At ages 40 and up, presbyopia can begin to make it difficult to do tasks that used to be simple such as reading. An eye exam can correct this vision problem with eyeglasses, or you can simply buy a non-prescription pair of glasses, reading glasses, at the drug store for this common ailment.

Unfortunately, not all vision problems are that easy to cure. Diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration (AMD) can all severely compromise your vision and possibly even lead to partial or full blindness. These diseases can be easily diagnosed with an eye exam that will allow your optometrist to give you treatment options and prepare you for what happens next.

Which is cheaper? Eye exam at Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart?

Optometrists who work at these stores generally set their own prices within a certain framework. That is why you may find one Wal-Mart slightly cheaper than another. Ditto for Sams. The products are sold by Wal-Mart and Sams and are definitely less expensive at Sams.

Call 301 682-7140 for an Eye Exam Now