General5 Signs You Need To Consult An Ophthalmologist

Do you believe in the saying: the eye is the window to one’s soul? When you look at someone’s eyes, you’ll be able to see within their personality, characteristics, and interests. Not only that, but you can tell if something is wrong in their eyes.

If this is the case, it’d be best to consider seeking an appointment with a certified professional ophthalmologist.

But first, why visit an ophthalmologist, and how are they different from optometrists and opticians? These terms are frequently used interchangeably, though each represents a different aspect.

Ophthalmologists receive advanced training beyond the level of optometrists and opticians. Also, they’re the only eye experts who have a license to perform surgery with Optometry equipment and practice medicine regarding eye conditions. In short, ophthalmologists are the only certified doctor in the three professions.

In addition, having your eyes checked regularly by an ophthalmologist may help prevent worsening eye conditions, such as the following: macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, refractive errors, including myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia.

Additionally, you might want to consider the following signs and symptoms below that’d signify the need for an ophthalmological intervention:

1. Consistent Drying Of The Eyes

Consistent drying of the eyes is a known symptom of dry eyes syndrome. It’s a condition that occurs when the eyes don’t produce enough tears to coat them and keep them lubricated. As a result, you’ll feel constant itchiness, discomfort, irritation, and dryness across your eyes.

Unfortunately, there’s no specific cure for dry eye syndrome. However, it’d be best to consult your ophthalmologist to find the right treatment program for you. If you ignore the symptoms above, it could worsen and lead to chronic dry eye syndrome, which has intensified symptoms.

Your eye doctor may require you to use an eye mask, and eye drops to reduce any occurrence of dry eye symptoms. Eye masks will help prevent your eyes from drying out and spread the warm oils evenly across the surface of your eyes.

Eye drops, on the other hand, will keep your eyes lubricated. Also, they don’t require a doctor’s prescription, which means you can buy them directly over the counter.

Some tips to prevent dry eye syndrome include:

• Using a humidifier to keep the air moist,
• Wearing eye protection for UV rays,
• Intense sunlight and limiting screen time.

2. Obstruction From Foreign Objects

It’s normal for your eyes to experience a little dirt that may go off instantly with running water for at least 15 minutes. Rubbing them off your eyes is not recommended to prevent pushing the foreign material inside your eyes and damaging the cornea. Scratching your eyes can cause irritation, infection, redness, and sensitivity to light.

However, if a large foreign material or chemical gets into your eyes, it’d be best to seek professional care as soon as possible, especially if the pain persists. In addition, if a chemical gets splashed on your eyes, wash it immediately in cool running water before heading to your doctor.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting not to use tweezers to remove anything that gets stuck up in your eyes. In one wrong move, you could end up becoming blind.

3. Consistent Eye Pain

Eye pain can be a normal reaction to your eyes, but it might indicate something wrong in your eyes if it always turns up. If this is the case, you probably need to visit an ophthalmologist to determine what’s going on and identify the proper treatment for your condition.

Consistent eye pain and discomfort may result from damaged eye parts, such as the cornea, conjunctiva, sclera, iris, orbit, eyelid, etc.

In addition, here are the possible eye problems due to persistent eye pain:

• Blepharitis: Inflamed eyelids
• Conjunctivitis Or Pink Eye: It’s inflamed conjunctiva, and its causes could be viral or bacterial in origin.
• Glaucoma: It occurs when fluid builds up and puts extreme pressure on your optic nerves. If this continues and worsens without proper treatment, it may lead to permanent blindness.
• Optic Neuritis: It’s the inflammation of the nerves at the back of your eyeballs
• Stye: It occurs when your eyelids, hair follicles, or oil glands become inflamed.

Other symptoms that you might experience and persistent pain include headache, reduced vision, light sensitivity, tearing, and eye discharge.

4. Flashes And Floaters

In most cases, flashes and floaters are normal and not a point of concern. These are debris of protein and tissue suspended in a gel-like substance within your eyes called vitreous. As you age, you’ll notice these tiny bits more often because vitreous is gradually becoming more fluid.

Unfortunately, there are instances when floaters may cause a serious problem, like a detached retina. If you experience persistent light flashes, clouds of floaters, or a mist covering your vision, seek your eye doctor immediately.

If possible, set an emergency appointment and proceed to the nearest emergency facility to prevent further damage. Typically, detached retinas can be treated if consulted as early as possible. Otherwise, it may lead to vision loss or permanent blindness.

5. Double Vision

Double vision is a symptom of dry eye syndrome, astigmatism, and keratoconus. It is medically known as diplopia and may occur in one or both of your eyes. In addition, it may result from several abnormalities in different eye parts, including the cornea, nerves, lens, and retina. Therefore, it’s important to schedule a consultation with an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Moreover, a double vision that affects both eyes is called binocular diplopia. People suffering from this condition may experience improper coordination. This condition usually occurs when the eyes are pointed at different sides. This causes your eyes to transmit various images to your brain.

Furthermore, set an appointment with an eye doctor to determine if your double vision affects one or both of your eyes. They’ll help you identify your condition and the right treatment, depending on the severity of your issues.

Final Words

One of the very delicate and vital parts of the human body is the eye. Without it, everything will turn dark, and you’ll never see the light again. That being said, it’s important to visit your doctor regularly, especially if the signs and symptoms presented above become more consistent and persistent.

Above all else, it’d be better to keep your eyes healthy as much as possible. Eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, wear protective gear to block harmful sun rays, and quit smoking. With this, your eyes will be able to prevent devastating eye conditions, especially blindness.