ARE YOUR EYES HEALTHY?

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This post is sponsored by Visionworks. 

A few months ago, I started experiencing blurry vision. I found myself driving at nighttime unsure of myself as the bright lights of oncoming cars blinded me. During the day I was blinking more than normal to try and refocus my eyes, and by the end of the day my eyes were tired and burning. I knew I needed to get an exam, and so I partnered with Visionworks to make sure my eyes were healthy. It was very timely too because April is Women's Eye Health Month. Who knew, right?

It had been about seven years since I had my eyes examined. We didn't have vision insurance, and so I just kept telling myself I didn't need glasses that badly. I had some glasses for reading, but I barely wore them because I felt I could read just fine without them. Truthfully, I couldn't. I just ignored the signs: tired eyes, holding objects too close and blurry vision. It turns out that my right eye with perfect vision learned to compensate for my left, and that's how I was getting by. But this past year, my right eye just started getting too tired. It was time to take care of this problem.

Setting up an eye exam with Visionworks was easy as pie. I located my nearest store, called ahead and chose a time that worked with my schedule. I filled out some paper work, and right away a technician walked me through the four different eye tests. I didn't even have to dilate my eyes because they have a new machine that can see all of the way back to your eye without dilation. It was really fast and easy. After 20 minutes I was sitting with the optometrist figuring out the right prescription for my eyes. From start to finish, it only took 45 minutes to make sure I was healthy. That's the fastest doctor appointment I have ever had.

I learned so much while I was there, and I thought I would pass along some of this helpful information with you:

  1. You should be getting an annual exam if you have an existing prescription. Your eyes and prescription can change every year, so it's important to make sure nothing has changed.
  2. For adults that don't need glasses, they should get their eyes checked every two years.
  3. Children should get their first eye exam around the age of three, and definitely before they go to school to make sure they have the best learning experience. They will need to have their eyes dilated though, so be sure to anticipate that before the exam.
  4. Certain mascaras and makeup removers can cause blurry vision. Make sure you are using the best one for your eyes and pay attention to any change in vision after use.
  5. The distance that you should be holding your book or computer can be found by putting your hand to your nose and sticking your elbow straight out. If you can't read well at that distance you need to get your eyes checked.
  6. Your eyes change during pregnancy and you can experience dryer eyes while carrying a child. It should go away after delivery, but if it doesn't you could have Dry Eyes Syndrome.

You can check out the below graphic for more health information. I don't know about you, but I didn't realize that I wasn't doing a good job taking care of my eyes until this appointment, and I definitely am committed to doing a better job in the future.

I got my new pair of glasses after my appointment, and I LOVE them. I tried on about 30 different pairs, and these stood out among the bunch. I'm wearing them as I type this post, and I can see much better than before. If you need new glasses you can be confident in knowing that Visionworks has everything you need in one place. I highly recommend a visit!

Photography by Rennai Hoefer.