IF PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HEADACHES REGULARLY, IS THAT AN INDICATION THEY NEED TO HAVE AN EYE EXAM?

Headaches are not normal and sometimes as the Optometrist, I am the first health practitioner to learn that a patient has headaches – because I asked the question. If headaches are recent and regular it is always the smart move to seek investigation.

One of the most common causes for ocular headaches is eye strain and can be traced to the person wearing incorrect lenses for a particular task such as hours of Desk Top screen viewing. People usually feel the tension or ache in their eyes and muscles across their forehead or the base of the skull from craning their head toward the screen. These stressful postural changes happen reflexly when the brain demands clearer images or the lens design is not useful for the height of the screen.

Pain in and around the eye can also be due to a myriad of actual eye diseases so swiftly booking in for an eye examination would be sensible. It can be complicated when there are several factors at play. If during you eye exam I detect a disease process, then I would advise referring you to the appropriate ophthalmologist skilled in treating that specific condition. Of course, many eye diseases are silent meaning you will feel no symptoms in the early stages, so for your best protection and peace of mind, come for a thorough eye examination at least every two years – even if you think your vision hasn’t changed. Preserving your vision is a great investment of 45 minutes of your life.