Baker-Engelbrecht Optometrists in Savannah Mall, Polokwane wishes you to take care of your eyes because it is the window to your overall health.

What your optometrist will look for during your eye exam

• Headaches - sometimes caused by inflammation of the sinuses, a tumour, glaucoma which causes high levels of pressure inside the eye, or functional eye disorders causing missaligned eyes (strabismus).
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) - hypertension causes irregular and narrow blood vessels. So, your optometrist can do a prevention check for hypertension!
• Diabetes - your retina may tell your optometrist the story because small areas of bleeding on the retina may be a sign of diabetes.
• Stroke - your optometrist can reduce the risk of a stroke if she discovers narrow retinal vessels in a special shape during your eye exam.
• High cholesterol - lipids adhere to the wall of the retinal vessels which may cause high blood pressure, heart disease and a stroke.
• Mulitiple Sclerosis - double vision, visual field loss and uncoordinated eye movements might be early signs of multiple sclerosis and lead to your optemetrist advising a thorough examination by your GP or a specialist.

Eye diseases
Do a simple eye check once a day and ask yourself:

1. Do my eyes feel good?
2. Do my eyes look good?
3. Can I see well?

If you answer any one question with a "no', you should see your optometrist for a painless routine check.

Cataracts
The natural lens of the eye (crystalline lens) becomes cloudy with age. It happens to all people and makes your vision hazy, increases glare and make night driving uncomfartable.

In this case, the natural lens is removed and replaced by a synthetic plastic lens. UV exposure accelerates the progress of catarct. Keep in mind that cloudy vission may have other causes. Visit your optometrist to make sure.

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