4 Reasons You Should Visit An Optometrist

Let’s be real. Taking care of your eyes probably isn’t the highest on your to-do list right now. Maybe you don’t even give it any thought. Maybe the word, optometrist, is a total mystery to you. It’s time to change all that. Get ready for some eye-opening facts about optometrists – and why you should visit one in Singapore.

Don’t mistake a comprehensive eye exam for a sight test. The latter just tests your ability to see things up close and far away. A comprehensive eye exam, however, goes much further.

This extensive procedure should be done every one to two years to keep your eye health in check. Extensive doesn’t necessarily mean time-consuming though. Unless you have certain medical conditions, a routine check should take about 20 minutes. At Chew’s Optics, such comprehensive eye exams are made affordable as well.

This is what your eyes might look like close up if there are macular changes, which can cause visual distortion and make straight lines look wavy.

It includes a vision acuity test and refraction test, on top of other preliminary tests that may be included depending on each individual’s eye health. Your optometrist will also screen for dry eyes and use retinal imaging to examine the back of your eye (also known as the fundus) for any bleeding or macular changes.

When it comes to health, prevention is always better than cure – and this applies to eye care too. One of the reasons why it’s so important to visit an optometrist is that they can help to detect and diagnose early symptoms of eye disease.

The eye exam is not just for writing a prescription and figuring out the proper fit of one’s contact lens. It also allows the optometrist to review your eye health and check for cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma (which accounts for 40% of blindness in Singapore, according to the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped). In other words, an optometrist goes beyond what the naked eye can see.

A close-up of a person’s eye with evidence of bleeding due to poorly controlled diabetes.

Another little-known fact about optometrists is that they can detect systemic health conditions too. Your eyes may reveal signs of uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes and raised cranial pressure, making that trip to the optometrist all the more crucial.

People tend to forget about updating their prescriptions regularly. Or rather, we don’t see it as a priority, so we stick to the same one for years. We assume that our eye sight would stay the same, never improving nor deteriorating, as long as we keep to our routine.

This can be a detrimental assumption to make. As we grow older, our eyes will inevitably change. Before you know it, you’ll need a new pair of glasses. This pandemic hasn’t made things easier either, with the extended stay-home period leading to vision issues.

In Singapore, there’s been a recent rise in myopia among kids, with some children needing to update their prescriptions more frequently than usual, according to a Straits Times report. With more time spent indoors and glued to our devices, it’s possible for our eye health to drop drastically within just a few months.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time spectacle wearer or if you’ve had one for decades. Outdated prescriptions can lead to complications. To prevent that from happening, consult an optometrist at least once every two years. They’re trained to check and adjust prescriptions.

Optometrists are delightfully versatile healthcare providers. At Chew’s Optics, a Singapore neighbourhood optical shop located along Teck Whye Lane, our optometrists take the time to understand your lifestyle needs, preferences and medical history before offering personalised suggestions.

This in-depth understanding also allows them to provide advice on caring for your eyes. Style-wise, our optometrists are able to recommend the best frames for your face shape, as well as the most flattering colours to suit your skin tone. There’s no reason not to visit an optometrist now.

Looking for an optometrist? Visit Chew’s Optics. We go further than your typical optician to provide thoughtful and precise optometry services in Singapore. It’s the perfect one-stop shop for getting your annual eye exam done, while shopping for a new pair of frames.

Book an appointment with us now, or swing by anytime to consult an optometrist. Our optical shop is located at 144 Teck Whye Lane, #01-211, and we’re open daily except Mondays.

For further enquiries, contact us at +65 8314 7093.