OptometristCarmi, IL
Our team can examine a patient's eyesight to enhance their vision and treat any health issues affecting the eyes. We provide primary health care for a variety of vision conditions. An optometrist is a medical professional with a Doctor of Optometry who provides medical eye and vision care.
We can provide professional optometry treatment at Carmi Eye Care in Carmi and to people in surrounding areas. With regular checkups, we can help you maintain healthy vision and prevent any ocular health issues from getting worse.
If you are looking to keep your eyes healthy or need treatment from an optometrist, call us today.
Reasons You Need an Optometrist
While it is common for people to seek an eye checkup once every two years, people with certain health conditions will need a checkup at least once a year. People who wear prescription glasses or contacts may even need more appointments throughout the year. These appointments allow us to monitor the condition and adjust the current treatment plan as needed. As an optometrist, we can regularly:
- Perform vision tests and eye examinations
- Prescribe/fit contact lenses and eyeglasses
- Treat common eye conditions, like astigmatism, farsightedness and nearsightedness
- Provide vision therapy and aids
- Diagnose disorders, injuries and diseases that affect the eyes
- Prescribe medication to treat eye-related issues
- Work with an ophthalmologist during pre- and post-surgical care
Symptoms to Pay Attention to
Many eye conditions can involve a gradual process in which the pain and symptoms get worse over time. Unlike more common illnesses that go away with bed rest, many vision issues will continue to worsen without professional treatment.
In fact, health issues in the eye can affect other areas of the body. Signs and symptoms that may mean a patient needs to visit an optometrist can include:
1. Persistent headaches
It can take years before the person notices a drastic change with their eyesight. Regardless of the causing condition, frequent headaches tend to show up earlier than other symptoms due to the strain of the eyes. Anyone who experiences persistent headaches for an unknown reason should visit us for an examination and diagnosis.
2. Pain coming from the eye
Allergies or insufficient sleep can lead to tired eyes that experience various levels of pain. If it is difficult to determine the source causing the pain, then call us and schedule an appointment. Our team can examine the patient and treat the issue before it begins damaging the patient's vision.
3. Vision-related issues
A person experiencing blurry vision or some other vision disorder may be struggling from a serious problem. If the patient seems to be seeing shadows that never used to be there or flashes of light, they may need to seek professional treatment.
4. Constant squinting
When a person has to constantly squint their eyes to see properly, that is usually a sign the patient needs a form of prescription lenses or contacts. Without a prescription that meets their needs, the patient will continue to face difficulties in performing simple tasks like driving or reading a book.
5. Consistently dry eyes
Even though there is a variety of factors that cause dry eyes from time to time, such as weather conditions, constantly having dry eyes is a sign the individual needs to see an optometrist. We can help treat regular irritation in the eyes with prescription eye drops or other methods.
6. An eye infection
Eye infections can usually lead to pain, discomfort and vision issues. Certain strains can lead to serious permanent damage. An eye infection requires immediate treatment by a doctor or optometrist. The symptoms usually include:
- Red eyes
- Yellow discharge from the eyes
- Pain coming from the eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Watery eyes
- Itchy eyes
- Swollen eyes
- Blurry vision
What Occurs During a Visit to the Optometrist
During a visit to our practice, new patients will need to fill out a "New Patient Information Form" that covers their current condition, medical history, allergies, insurance and more. Our team strives to create a comfortable waiting room and environment to help the patient relax.
During the examination, we will complete a variety of procedures, including:
A patient history evaluation. The optometrist will go over the patient's family history and any eye diseases that can be passed down through generations.
Vision tests to evaluate nearsighted and farsighted vision. The patient will read out random letters from charts placed in front of them at various distances and different sizes. We will also evaluate other areas of the patient's vision, including their ability to perceive colors, peripheral vision (ability to see from the side of the eyes) and ability to see in three dimensions.
A tonometry test. This test helps to diagnose glaucoma. It is a quick procedure that involves numbing the patient's eye with eye drops and measuring the eye pressure with a device known as a tonometer. All the patient feels is a puff of air on their eye.
An eye examination. During the examination, we will look for issues in the various parts of the eyes. This can involve using eyedrops to dilate the eyes and enhance our view of them. Dilating the eyes can make them sensitive to light for a couple of hours.
We can give patients sunglasses to wear after the procedure to protect their eyes for the necessary amount of time.
Other tests for high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes. An eye examination can be very revealing and spot the onset of major health issues like diabetes or high blood pressure. If we notice these issues, we will recommend how the patient needs to proceed.
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