Eye Doctors in Laureldale, PA

Regardless of your age, an eye exam is important. For children, start early. Children need eye exams to ensure healthy vision. These days most adults use computer screens for extended periods, and that can take a toll on your eyesight. If you are over age 60, you are more susceptible to certain eye diseases. No matter what your age, if you are in Laureldale, PA, make an appointment today at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania in nearby Wyomissing.

School-Age Eye Exams

School eye screenings are great, but they are just screenings. Pediatricians can also do cursory checks but a proper detailed eye exam is really important. Children need comprehensive eye exams, starting in preschool. Data shows however that only about 40 percent of preschool children have proper vision testing.

One of the most common problems in children is a condition called amblyopia. One eye is unable to focus as clearly as the other eye, a result of the eye and brain not properly working together to focus the eye. The condition is quite common in children under age five; in fact there are over 200,000 cases of amblyopia per year in the US. A family history can increase your child’s likelihood of amblyopia. If your child has amblyopia, it must be promptly treated to avoid vision loss.

Older Adults

Many of our older patients have diabetes and therefore are at risk for diabetic retinopathy, a complication of the disease. In diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the retina are damaged by the high blood sugar. Because the retina contains light-sensitive cells, the damage can lead to permanent vision loss.

The good news is that diabetic retinopathy is preventable, but we recommend that adults with diabetes have a dilated eye exam every year. Early detection leads to early treatment, and that is important. In fact, about 90 percent of cases cause early can be effectively treated to prevent or delay vision loss. Sadly, only about half of all diabetes patients get regular eye exams. Quite often, the diagnosis is too late to provide effective treatment.

Many of our diabetes patients don’t realize that having diabetes also puts them at higher risk for other eye diseases like glaucoma. It also puts them at higher risk for developing cataracts, often at an earlier age.

Due to our aging population, the number of blind and visually impaired people in the United States is estimated to double by 2030 and triple by 2050. Encouraging people to take care of their vision health as part of their overall health and wellness could significantly reduce that number and improve quality of life for millions of Americans.

Monitor Your Own Eyes

If you begin to have eye problems, don’t wait. Call us today. It is important to see an eye doctor as soon as possible, particularly if you have one of the following symptoms:

• Loss of vision or decreased vision
• Double vision
• Seeing flashes of light or halos (circles around light)
• See floaters (tiny specks)
• Eye pain
• Eye redness
• Fluid draining from the eye

Eye exams are important at every age. Regular exams lead to early detection and early treatment, so if you’re in Laureldale, PA, our eye doctors are close by in Wyomissing and ready for you to be our next new patient. Give us a call or schedule your appointment with us today.