15 warning signs that it’s time to get your eyes checked

It is not a coincidence that we say this about the most valuable ones, “Take care of them like your eyes and hands.” Vision really fills our life with bright colors and emotions, but sometimes we underestimate it and forget to take care of such an important organ as the eyes. We found out which symptoms require you to consult an ophthalmologist.

Regular pain in the temples and nausea

Migraines are caused not only by changes in weather conditions, overwork and negative emotions at work, but also by vision problems. If you constantly feel like something is shooting at your temples, then you should definitely check your eyes. The truth is that the brain and vision are very interconnected. For example, head trauma can greatly affect the functioning of the visual system. The same applies to problems with the vestibular apparatus.

Frequently squint your eyes and tilt your head to the side

You’ve probably noticed that many people with poor eyesight squint, tilt their heads to the side, or poke the corner of their eyes to look at the bus number and other distant objects. This helps them temporarily change the shape of their eyes so that the sun’s rays can focus properly on the retina. Therefore, the issue seems clearer. If you begin to resort to such manipulations frequently, it’s time to plan a visit to the ophthalmologist.

Cervical osteochondrosis

In this disease, the nerve endings of the upper spine are compressed, disrupting blood flow. Accordingly, the brain receives less oxygen. This immediately affects vision.

rapid fatigue

With asthenopathy or visual fatigue, the work of the eye muscles is disrupted: some become weak, others, on the contrary, become overworked. The discomfort is accompanied by headache and decreased visual acuity.

Dryness and feeling of sand in the eyes

These symptoms may indicate that you are suffering from dry eye syndrome. Only an ophthalmologist will be able to choose the right drops and dosage so that your eyes receive adequate moisture.

Severe tearing and redness

Eyes may become watery due to allergies, colds, weather changes, fatigue and vitamin deficiencies. But in some cases, excessive tearing indicates vision problems ranging from conjunctivitis to more serious problems such as glaucoma. You should be especially careful if the discharge is purulent, as this indicates the presence of an infection, for example, dacryocystitis. Additionally, redness and watering indicate dry eye syndrome (DEY).

Objects are blurry and double

If you feel like there are curtains over your eyes, you should definitely make an appointment with an ophthalmologist. There may be several reasons. Often, vague contours and double vision of objects may indicate myopia, farsightedness or astigmatism. But there are also more dangerous pathologies, for example, diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to bleeding in the retina of the eye, leading to complete loss of vision.

Color vision impairment and pain when moving the eyes

If eye pain worsens with eye movement, this may be a sign of optic neuritis. The disease is often accompanied not only by a decrease in visual acuity, but also by impaired color perception. Therefore, consultation with an ophthalmologist is mandatory.

Rainbow rings around light sources

The appearance of halos, which are bright rings around a light source, is often seen in patients undergoing vision correction. Additionally, the optical effect may result from the structural features of the cornea, or rather its flattening. But rainbow halos and zigzags can also be signs of glaucoma and cataracts that require medical attention.

thorn in the lens of the eye

If you notice a slight spot on your eye lens, you need to see an ophthalmologist. But it is worth distinguishing between congenital cataracts inherited from the mother and turbidity caused by leukoma. Moreover, in some cases, the stain can completely cover the eye. The disease is accompanied by photophobia and foreign body sensation in the eye. If left untreated, complete or partial vision loss is likely.

Impaired twilight vision and spots in front of the eyes

In hemeralopia, better known as “night blindness”, vision is noticeably reduced at dusk. Additionally, sensitivity to bright light increases and there is difficulty perceiving colors, mostly in the blue and yellow spectrum. In addition, dark spots often appear before the eyes, especially when moving from a dark area to a light area. The disorder occurs as a result of the deficiency of the rhodopsin pigment, which enables adaptation in the dark, and the deterioration of photoreceptors in the retina. Therefore, the help of a qualified specialist is absolutely necessary.

Parents with myopia or “lazy” eyes

It is clear that if one of the parents has vision problems, then regular observation by an ophthalmologist is required, because pathologies can occur at any age.

Diabetes and heart disease

Almost 80% of people with diabetes experience decreased vision. Retinal vessels are destroyed due to high blood sugar and high blood pressure. It is very important to be regularly examined by an ophthalmologist because the disease provokes the development of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. Similarly, caution should be exercised in case of heart disease.

Pregnancy

The birth of a child is a joy, but during pregnancy restructuring occurs in the body, especially the optical system. As a rule, physiological changes are temporary, but sometimes complications may occur. For this reason, all expectant mothers should be examined by an ophthalmologist. Eye diseases may appear or latent pathologies may worsen due to the immune system becoming particularly vulnerable. In addition, some other diseases can also become an indirect factor causing vision deterioration. For example, you should know that the eyeball lengthens during pregnancy and returns to normal only after breastfeeding is completed. Dry eye syndrome may occur due to decreased secretion of the lacrimal gland. As the curvature and thickness of the cornea increases, its sensitivity increases. Therefore, you should under no circumstances have laser correction or change the diopter of your glasses while you are waiting for your baby. If you have glaucoma, you should also know that intraocular pressure decreases during pregnancy.

hysterical blindness

Hysterical blindness is the sudden loss or reduction of vision due to psychological trauma. This is a psychological disorder that has nothing to do with the functioning of the visual system. However, only a qualified specialist can make a diagnosis on his own, so the first thing you need to do is to contact an ophthalmologist and only then a psychologist. Because this disorder manifests itself in the same way as many other eye diseases.