Have your eyes been getting sore? Do you notice them hurting when you wake up? Are you seeing a glare when you drive at night? Read our blog for some reasons you should book an appointment with Swing Optical today!
1. Squinting
Squinting reduces extra light entering the eye, which decreases the size of the blurred image. Squinting excessively could be a sign of farsightedness or nearsightedness. If you notice this behavior in children or young adults, this may indicate the presence of lazy eye.
2. Eyes Feeling Tired or Strained
Not getting enough sleep, illness, or allergies can cause this temporarily, but, if it continues, see your local optometrist. If your eyes are tired from regular things like watching TV or reading, it could be a sign of vision/prescription changes, an eye infection, or undiagnosed health condition (e.g. diabetes).
3. Headaches
Farsightedness or astigmatism, both of which can cause near and far items to appear blurry, can cause fatigue and strain on your eyes when left untreated. When you constantly strain your eyes to see better, this can definitely cause headaches. If your prescription is too strong, this can also cause eye strain and headaches. Be sure that when you pick up your glasses you test them with the optometrist or optician to ensure you have exactly what you need.
4. Difficulty seeing at night
If your night vision is to the point that you no longer can see your dog in the yard or driving is becoming more of a concern, you may be experiencing signs of early cataracts, which should be examined as soon as possible. Another great reason to book your next eye exam.
5. Troubles adjusting from dark to light
If it takes your eyes longer to adjust after seeing bright lights when you are driving or entering a dark room, it could mean that the muscles which help your iris contract and expand are weakening. This can be age-related, like many vision problems.
6. Difficulty at the computer
Blame it on work, but those who struggle to read the computer after a while may be experiencing a little farsightedness. A rule of thumb to help with this is the 20/20 rule which is to look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. If the problem persists schedule an eye exam to ensure there isn't another issue.
7. Halos & Line Distortion
Do lines appear distorted to you? For example, do the lines on a piece of notebook paper seem wavy?
Do you see halos, glares, or bright (even colored) circles of light? When going into a dark room or a very bright room this is common, but if you find it is happening often with neither of those variables it may be a sign of something more serious which needs to be checked.
8. Light Sensitivity
Some people are naturally more sensitive to light than other and strong fluorescent lighting which can be found on many offices. This can cause many people to experience headaches and sensitivity on sunny days. If you find yourself becoming more sensitive to light than normal, you should schedule an eye appointment. Light sensitivity could be due to vision loss, but more likely it can also be due to an eye infection.
9. You Have Never Had An Eye Exam Before
Eye exams are not painful and are important for your health. They can help detect illness, and improve your quality of life. If you book a physical exam with your family doctor once a year, why not an eye exam?
In British Columbia, children aged 0-18 receive an eye exam once annually covered 100% by MSP. Adults 19 - 64 are not covered by MSP, unless medically required. But most extended health plans do cover up to 100%of an eye exam which is recommended once every two years (more often if you have a changing prescription etc.). Adults 65+receive an eye exam once annually covered 100% by MSP.
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