What should I do to keep my eyes healthy?

The chances of maintaining good, healthy vision are greatly enhanced by regular monitoring and treatment by a trained professional. Stock photo

Answers by Dr. Mitchell Gossman, an ophthalmologist at Eye Associates of Central Minnesota, located in St. Cloud

What should I do to keep my eyes healthy?

Like so many other parts of the body, the eye has its own specialists to care for it. Most medical conditions can be monitored, and referred as necessary, by your primary health care provider, but the eye has its own set of skills and equipment that need to be used to properly examine and treat the eyes. Here are some ways you can keep your eyes healthy.

1. Many eye conditions are best caught early so treatment can be more effective. You check the oil level in your car even though it’s running well, right? Make sure you have periodic eye exams, even if you’re having no problems. The frequency for eye exams depends on the situation, such as your age, risk factors for eye disease, and what’s found on the exam, so the best thing is to schedule an initial exam and let your doctor recommend routine screening visits.

2. Don’t put off an exam too long after symptoms occurs. If you’re having blurry vision, floaters, red eye, etc., call to see when you should be seen.

3. Get to know your specific eye condition. This means learning your condition’s medical name (not layman’s terms, slang, etc.) from your doctor, ask for any available written information, and research it from reliable online sources such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, and University of Minnesota and others.

4. Keep your appointments.

5. Comply with treatments as recommended. If you have doubts about the need for treatment, ask your doctor what the reason for the treatment is, and what could happen if it’s not complied with.

6. If you’re having vision problems but not getting relief, consider a second opinion. If a second opinion yields the same diagnosis and recommended treatment, you can be assured that you are likely having the correct treatment. If a second opinion results in a different diagnosis or recommended treatment, ask frank questions such as “what would you do if you were me?”, “what are the downsides?”, “should I seek a third opinion”, and “what if I don’t pursue treatment, what could happen?”

7. Take care of medical conditions that can affect your eyes, such as maintaining healthy weight, controlling diabetes and hypertension, and having regular physical exams with your primary care doctor.

Loss of vision and even blindness still occur, even in developed countries, but your chances of keeping good vision are greatly enhanced by letting us monitor your eye health and you taking care of your general health.

Find out more

Dr. Mitchell Gossman is a comprehensive ophthalmologist, along with Dr. Melanie Thares, an optometrist, at Eye Associates of Central Minnesota. The office is located at 628 Roosevelt Road, Suite 101, in St. Cloud. To make an appointment or to learn more, call 320-774-3789 or email info@eaofcm.com.