According to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), three-fourths of the blindness present worldwide is preventable and regular eye tests can make all the difference [1].

Loss of vision is a fear for many people and yet, eye tests are often an afterthought measure. Visiting the eye doctor or optometrist should not be limited to asking what types of contact lenses are suited to your prescription, but for several other reasons as well.

Booking an appointment with the eye doctor/optometrist only for help relating to buy contact lenses or the types of contact lenses that are appropriate for you,is not smart. Ignoring the need for regular eye tests can result in missing out on the early signs of several diseases, which could prevent you from protecting your vision.

That being said, let’s take a look at several reasons why eye tests are vital for a healthy routine:

• Detection of Serious Health Problems

According to studies, eye tests can help in detecting a variety of health problems like Diabetes, Brain Tumour, Giant Cell Arthritis, Lupus, and Thyroid [2]. Unlike other parts of our body, our eyes don’t give many signals when something is wrong. That is why eye tests are extremely important.

Your vision is not the only thing that is tested, and the eye doctor/optometrist will look for a variety of indicators ranging from refractive error (Astigmatism and glasses prescription) to eye alignment problems and lazy eye, and early onset of disorders and diseases.

Beside this, research is also being carried out for developing an eye test that could identify the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Eye doctors can identify abnormalities faster than general physicians because they can detect problems by looking at the blood vessels in the eyes [2]. So, it can be said that eyes are not only the window into your soul but your body as well.

• Help in Determining the Requirement of Vision Aids

One of the parts of a comprehensive eye test is the vision test which helps in determining whether you require vision aids due to vision impairments or vision issues. If you are experiencing issues like blurred vision, headaches, double vision, fuzziness, or eyestrain, it might mean youneed to opt for refractive vision correction and that an eye test is required [3].

The eye test will also help in determining what types of contact lenses you will require, it could be daily lenses or monthly disposable contact lenses. Furthermore, checking for proper eyewear fitting is also an important part of the eye exam. If you are already wearing anytype of contact lenses that don’t suit your eyes, it could lead to mild eye infections and may have severe implications, if left untreated. Hence, do not buy contact lenses without consulting your eye doctor/optometrist.

• Early Detection of Glaucoma

Glaucoma makes for one of the most serious eye diseases that cause permanent loss of sight by damaging the optic nerve[4]. Without an eye examination glaucoma can not be detected at an early stage because there are almost no identifiable symptoms of the early onset of Glaucoma.

People who fail to appear for regular eye tests and gradually develop Glaucoma, only become aware of it after sustaining vision loss from this disease. Also, by this time is even more difficult to control Glaucoma to avoid additional vision loss.

Without successfully identifying and treating it in the initial stages, Glaucoma can lead to permanent blindness[5]. The early detection of high eye pressure (IOP- Intraocular Pressure) is one of the symptoms of Glaucoma, which can only be detected through regular eye tests.

Give More Importance to Your Eyes

It’s high time you start giving importance to your eyes and eye tests due to the aforementioned reasons, as it will help you in living a healthy life. If your eye test reveals vision issues related to power, you should consult your optometrist/eye doctor with regards to what types of contact lenses are appropriate for you before you buy contact lenses.

Once you receive the prescription and the go-ahead from your eye care specialist, you can buy the best quality contact lenses in India from reputable brands like Bausch+Lomb. Bausch+Lomb has several types of contact lenses on offer such as disposable contact lenses, including daily disposable contact lenses, monthly contact lenses, annual contact lenses and even coloured contact lenses. They have something for everyone!

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