Vision is vital for interacting with the world. It’s hard to imagine being without it. Taking good care of your eyes will help ensure you enjoy a high quality of life. Regular eye exams help protect your vision and eye health. They allow the doctor to detect eye issues that should be addressed before they affect your vision. The following are significant signs that you need an eye exam. 

Frequent Headaches

Most people suffer from headaches due to stress and other issues. They range from a sharp pain behind the eyes to a dull pain around the temples. If you experience frequent headaches, it could indicate an eye issue. Persistent headaches could be due to an eye infection, eyestrain, or glaucoma. They could also be due to binocular vision problems or other eye issues. 

Blurry Vision

Blurry vision is one of the most common symptoms of a vision problem. It can indicate a severe eye condition. If you experience sudden blurriness or increased blurry vision, contact your eye doctor immediately. While the issue could be the need for an updated prescription, it could also indicate a severe eye disease. Conditions such as glaucoma cause blurry vision. 

Double Vision

Experiencing double vision or diplopia can be a symptom of injury, illness, stroke, or tumor. Sudden or chronic double vision may require emergency attention. Double vision can occur due to dry eye, astigmatism, or keratoconus. The condition can often be treated effectively with eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other treatments. 

Eye Pain

Any eye pain is not normal, and it may be reason enough to get emergency eye care. The pain can be due to eye conditions such as ocular tumors or acute angle-closure glaucoma. Apart from causing extreme pain, the conditions can lead to vision loss. Experiencing eye pain indicates that you need an eye exam to determine the cause. 

Difficulty With Night Vision

If you have trouble seeing at night, you need an eye exam. It is one of the first signs of deteriorating vision. Difficulty seeing well in low lighting could be a consequence of aging but could also be caused by ocular conditions. It could signify cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye health problems.  

Floaters or Light Flashes 

Floaters or small circles or squiggles in your field of vision can indicate an eye problem. The floaters are shadows cast by tiny fibers in the eye’s vitreous fluid. While seeing occasional floaters or flashing lights is normal, it can signal an eye disease when it happens frequently. An unusually large number may be due to a retinal tear or detachment, which requires immediate medical attention.

Light Sensitivity

If you experience extreme light sensitivity, it could be a sign of a severe eye condition. Experiencing sensitivity when you transition from indoor to outdoor lighting is normal, but constant sensitivity requires attention. It could be a sign of cataracts, corneal abrasion, or keratoconus. An eye exam will help diagnose the condition. 

Regular eye exams can help save your vision. Other signs that you need an eye exam include experiencing a dry or gritty sensation in the eyes or watery eyes. You may have computer vision syndrome if you experience discomfort when using digital screens. 

For more important signs that you need an eye exam, visit Blue Valley Vision of Overland Park at our Overland Park, Kansas offices. Call (913) 681-2624 or (913) 808-5830 to schedule an appointment today.