Eye Exams 101: Why You Need One Even if Your Vision Is 20/20

Having strong, healthy vision is something that should never be taken for granted. It’s a privilege and gift to be able to see clearly, and it is a source of joy that is often times overlooked in life. There are a lot of people who struggle with their eyesight and rely heavily on certain tools like glasses and contacts or even need corrective surgeries in order to see well. 

For people who have 20/20 vision, it may seem like they are ‘in the clear’ when it comes to medical tools or interventions to help them with clear eyesight, however, eye exams are still something that should be taken seriously. 

If you have been wondering why an eye exam is important even if you have 20/20 vision here is everything you need to know. 

What Does 20/20 Vision Mean?

According to some estimates, only 35% of individuals have a vision that is graded at 20/20, which makes this level of healthy vision rare. The term 20/20 refers to the ability that a person has to see an object clearly at 20 feet away and refers to a normal range of vision. 20/20 is not exceptional, and it doesn’t mean that a person has greater than ‘normal’ vision, but acts as the healthy baseline.

As is obvious from the above estimate, the majority of the population has below-average or normal vision. It’s important to understand that a 20/20 vision does not mean a ‘perfect’ vision, but instead means that a person with 20/20 simply has normal vision. Someone with 20/20 vision could still have areas of their vision that need improving.

For example, someone with 20/20 vision may have limited or less than normal peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is a very important aspect of vision that is necessary for people to operate machinery, and navigate socially with safety. A person with 20/20 vision may also have deficits when it comes to seeing colors, or possibly even in interpreting true depth perception.

When it comes down to it, having healthy eyes and good vision is important for a lot of reasons. Not only is the ability to see an opportunity for a person to experience a lot of joy and satisfaction in life, but it also allows them to do things they wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Operating a motor vehicle safely, navigating a crowded room, or enjoying recreational sports all rely on healthy vision in order to do. Without good eyesight, some of these activities would represent a threat to yourself and others. Having healthy eyes, not only helps you live your best life but also protects those around you. 

Ways to Help Improve Your Eye Sight

Keeping your eyes healthy and strong should be an important part of your personal health care. Here are some ways you can help keep your eyes healthy and strong for the long haul.

Don’t Neglect Regular Eye Exams

Taking steps to ensure the health of your eyes can have huge benefits for the quality of your life, and one of the ways you can do that is through regular eye exams. When a person is given a diagnosis of 20/20 vision, it never negates the importance of regular eye checkups. 

An eye exam gives you a chance to not only gauge your eye health but have a professional screen your eyes for any kind of abnormality. With regular checkups, you can give your health care provider a chance to preemptively catch any possible conditions that may develop, which can help lead to better outcomes. 

Mitigate Daily Strain

Another way that you can help protect the health of your eyes, is by mitigating daily strain. Things like looking at computer screens, or spending a lot of time reading can actually cause eye strain that over time can be detrimental to your overall eye health. The problem is that a lot of people find that their jobs require them to do a lot of reading, and oftentimes require a lot of computer time. 

The good news is that a simple pair of reading glasses, or computer glasses, can go a long way to protect your eyes from unnecessary damage due to strain. These glasses are designed to help compliment your vision and support your normal eye function by helping block glaring light and filtering blue light. This can not only mitigate strain and damage to the eyes but improve the amount of time spent looking at a computer screen or reading

Conclusion

Keeping your eyes healthy and strong should be an aspect of your healthcare that you don’t neglect. With regular eye exams and the right kind of glasses to help protect your eyes from unnecessary strain, you can help keep your eyes healthy for the long haul. 


You may be interested in: 5 Common Mistakes When Choosing a Contractor