Three Eye-Related Symptoms That Indicate The Need To Visit Your Ophthalmologist
Even if you don't wear glasses or contacts and haven't noticed any issues with your quality of sight, it's a good habit to schedule one visit with your ophthalmologist about every two years. Doing so will allow this health professional to evaluate your vision but also get an early warning sign of any issues with your eyes. Beyond these regular checkups, it can be crucial to make an appointment with the ophthalmologist right away if you notice something about your vision that doesn't seem correct. A variety of eye-related issues can be serious if left unattended but easy to address with a prompt visit to the eye clinic. Here are three possible symptoms that indicate it's time to schedule a visit immediately.
Redness
While it's easy to attribute an eye that's red and irritated to being short on sleep, the reality is that an eye that appears red and feels itchy or painful can be a symptom of a variety of different issues. Eye redness often results due to an infection or some other form of irritation, such as a foreign body that is in your eye. Your ophthalmologist will be able to closely examine the problematic eye and assess the reason for the issue. While there's always a chance the the redness can be attributed to something such as a new food allergy, it's still imperative to get this problem looked at by a professional right away.
Floaters Or Specks
Floaters or small specks in your field of vision can often be a symptom of a retinal detachment, which is a serious issue that requires immediate care from an ophthalmologist. If you see objects that appear directly in front of one eye and blinking that eye does not remove them, there's a chance that you're dealing with this major problem. Retinal detachments can result from a wide variety of causes, including an acute injury to your eye, but the good news is if they're treated right away, they can be fixed through specialized surgery.
Dark Spot On The Iris
A dark spot on your iris can be a symptom of an eye melanoma. This form of cancer can also carry other symptoms, including difficulties with your vision and even a noticeable change in the size of your pupil. Any of these symptoms should prompt you to call your ophthalmologist right away. He or she will be able to determine the cause of these symptoms and if you're dealing with a melanoma, help you with the next steps to take.
For more information, contact offices like Valentine Eye Care.