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Roberto Ramos

English 1302-231

Dr. Nelson

8 April 2024

Why are Eye Exams Needed on A Yearly Basis

The eyes are a crucial sensory organ that serves as a gateway that enables humans to

perceive and interact with the ever-changing world around them. However, just like any other

part of the body, the eyes are easily susceptible to diseases and other environmental factors; these

factors can restrict the function of the eyes, potentially harming the individual with an eye

restriction. The advancements in technology related to eye care highlight the importance of

regular yearly eye exams so that maintaining optimal eye health and vision is possible. By

having yearly scheduled visits, individuals give their eye doctors the opportunity to find and

direct any developed or developing ocular diseases, therefore preventing costly operations while

ensuring proper eye health.

Doctors who specialize in optometry undergo rigorous and extensive training to ensure

the health and safety of their patients. Through an extensive “four-year institutional curriculum,

students learn how to build upon the basic foundational education they received in a higher

education institution, allowing for a development in specialized knowledge and skills for the

field of optometry. Optometry students have the possibility to become a licensed doctor in the

field of optometry in order to help those who struggle with their eyesight.” (interview, 1).

Optometry students learn how to process, treat, and explain the various conditions and factors

that can affect the eyes as well as give advice to what the patient should peruse in order to get
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better. This training equips them with the necessary skills needed to provide accurate

prescriptions and adequately address eye health issues that may arise when operating in a

doctor’s office. For example, scholars Albrahim and Bakkar created a study to find what students

studying in optometry needed to get their licenses, what standard should be followed to ensure

the safety of the patient “optometrist must undergo a well-balanced curriculum to ensure that

students graduate with the necessary skills.” (Albrahim and Bakkar,1426.), this curriculum

involves the studies of “human anatomy, neuroanatomy, community health, geometric optics,

ocular anatomy physiology, and etcetera. Optometrists must also have attended classes informing

them of new methods and tools on a yearly basis” (Albrahim and Bakkar,1426.) therefore, it

makes sense for you to allow and trust these highly trained individuals, who provide high-quality

care and are highly trained in their field of practice the opportunity to check your eyes on a

yearly basis. To ensure that your eyes are as well as modern technology allows them to be,

preventing any disease from forming, causing your body to become susceptible and gaining harm

from it.

Many protective measures are recommended by doctors in optometry while attending an

eye examination; for example, the use of contact lenses plays a critical role in helping prevent

outside sources from entering the eyes and improve vision. “By acting as a barrier, contact lenses

help protect the user from dirt, sand, air, etc.….” (Newman, 146.). If these foreign bodies enter

the eye, they will still cause harm but not as harmful compared to those without contact lenses;

therefore, they allow and act as a safety measure that helps you see. Contact lens technology has

seen significant advancements, with a “variety of options like daily, biweekly, and monthly

lenses, in soft plastic and rigid options, all offering increased oxygen permeability, comfort, and

physiological benefits” (Newman, 145.) this idea is also reinforced by scholar Walline who states
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that “Contact lens wear dramatically improves how children and teens feel about their

appearance and participation in activities, leading to greater satisfaction with their refractive

error correction.” ( Walline, et al. 321.) However, “contact lenses are on a prescription base only

and require yearly optometry exams in order to ensure their safe and effective use of the wearer.”

(Interview, 1).

With technological developments in imaging in the field of optometry, optometrists

continue to find ways to improve the quality of life for individuals with impairments in their

vision, blindness for example, which for most “forbid them the opportunity to drive or live with

independence” (Liu, et al.12803). An example of such technological advancement is the “NHI

Ocutech biopic telescope has been developed to help those with poor eyesight, even allow some

with low vision the ability to drive” (Liu et al. 12803), offering newfound independence to the

user. However, in order to access these technologies requires approval from an optometrist, and

just like contact lenses, the doctor will only permit you to use them and refill them if you check

up with them on a yearly basis.

Children are not able to recognize issues with their vision due to their age and lack of

knowledge of what good vision is. “Young children may not recognize that their vision is bad, so

just because your kid is not complaining doesn’t mean they don’t need glasses.” (Liu, et al,

12805.). Therefore, it is imperative that parents ensure that their children undergo yearly eye

exams so that they can secure their child’s vision health. These eye exams can detect conditions

such as “lazy eye (amblyopia) which causes reduced vision in the eye(s).” (Liu, 3.), “Myopia

which effects the focal length and the axil length of the eye”, (Liu, et al. 992587.) and “crossed

eyed syndrome (strabismus) a condition where the eyes do not move together” (Liu, et al.

12804.). These conditions can “lead to learning difficulties if left untreated. and other non-eye
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related disease like diabetes, high blood pressure , and cancer.” (Liu, et al. 12804.). Additionally,

“optometrists are diagnosing conditions like dry eye more than ever” (Hauser, 23.) due to the

buildup of trainings and technology’s allowing for conditions like dry eye that was once

“difficult to spot more detectable, and the ability to detect a disease before it even begins to

form.” (Interview, 1) With these conditions being so treatable during the early stages of

development, it is only logical to schedule an eye exam every year, but if an individual does

schedule an eye exam on a yearly basis, they run the risk of a condition that was not seen

previously from worsening leading to a more significant problem form forming fanatically and

physically, potentially leading to loss of sight emphasizing the need for yearly based eye exams

in order to find and detect such conditions.

Two interviews with an optometrist showed that the eyes are far more important than we

take them for and how the use of an eye exam can be used to demonstrate that practitioners

develop observational hypotheses in agreement with the various scholars mentioned. Dr. Ramos

is a seasoned optometrist with over twenty years of experience at TSO) Texas State Optical in

Laredo, Texas. Dr. Ramos shares the nature of annual eye examinations. He states that, “Due to

the eye's continual physiological changes, a prescription that was once valid is likely to be

different in a year’s time. That’s why it’s important that yearly eye exams are completed to

ensure optimal eye health.”(Interview, 1). Dr. Ramos further states that the susceptibility of the

eyes to bacterial infections in the environment “the eyes are extremely suspectable to bacteria

due to their moist conditions” (Interview, 1). “With the eyes being our only way of seeing and

how, we need to do anything to prevent the loss of our vision, and that can be prevented with an

eye exam.” (Interview, 1). Dr. Ramos also states, “You are most comfortable when you are able

to see when you have to constantly squint to see anything ahead of you look at a board in
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school” (Interview, 1) Dr Ramos also shares how having an eye exam on a yearly basis helps

your local economy “by having concurrent patient business is able to thrive. If patients only

came in every two years for an exam and glasses or contacts, profit would be lost, compared to

coming in once a year.” (Interview, 1). In the second interview, Dr. Ramos speaks about only

having one pair of eyes and what should be done to protect them “If you lose your eyes which

cannot be replaced, your ability to see the world will end for good.” (Interview, 2). Dr. Ramos

recommend the use of glasses and contact lenses because they act as a protective barrier to the

eyes “just like how construction workers or welders use protective eye equipment to stop hazards

from entering the eye; glasses and contacts can also be used for that exact same purpose, and you

can look cool while doing it.” (interview, 2), Dr. Ramos agreed with the scholar Newman, in her

findings related to “contact lenses use as a protective barrier from outside sources” (Newman,

146.). Glasses can also be used as a fashion statement. This idea is supported by Dr. Ramos:

“Glasses can act as an accessory in modern fashion if used correctly, while yes, you can just buy

a pair of frames without a prescription. Might as well get an examination; you are already

spending two hundred or more dollars on f frames, might as well see better in the process.”

(Interview, 2). By attending an eye exam on a yearly basis, the ability to feel well and see well

becomes present and available.

In conclusion, regular eye exams are essential for maintaining optimal eye health and

vision. Scheduling yearly examinations allows for the detection and treatment of ocular diseases

and conditions, prevents costly operations, and ensures proper and comfortable eye care. This

paper helps inform those why it is necessary to have a yearly eye exam; by embracing the

healthy habit of eye exams, the impact of overall quality of life and overall eye health can be

made.
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Works cited

Alebrahim, Mohammad A. and May M. Bakkar. “The Usefulness of Optics-Based Courses for

Optometry and Vision Science Alumni: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.” Annals of

Medicine, vol. 54, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1423-1431. Academic Search Ultimate,

https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2022.2076899.

Hauser Whitney, “Dry Eye: How to Treat Kids, Teens: This Condition Is on the Rise in a

Seemingly Healthy Demographic” Optometry Times, vol. 11, no. 8, 2018, pp. 23-24.

Liu Lin-Lin, “Analysis of Macular Retinal Thickness and Microvascular System Changes in

Children with Monocular Hyperopic Anisometropia and Severe Amblyopia.” Disease

Markers, 2022, pp. 1-7. Academic Search Ultimate, doi.org/10.1155/2022/9431044

Liu, Weiqin, et al. “Ocular Biometric Parameters of Mild Hyperopia to Mild Myopia Children

Aged 6-14 Years from Wenzhou Optometry Center: A Cross- Sectional Study.” Frontiers

in Medicine, vol. 9, 2022, p. 992587. Academic Search Ultimate,

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.992587.

Liu, Zhuolin, et al. “Imaging and quantifying ganglion cells and other transparent neurons in the

living human retina.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 114, no. 48,

pp. 12803–12808, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1711734114.

Newman, Christina. “Children and Contact Lenses: Where Do They Fit into the Spectrum of

Care?” Journal of Behavioural Optometry, vol. 23, no. 5-6, 2012, pp. 145-48. Academic

Search Ultimate.

Ramos, Roberto. Interview 1, Conducted by Roberto Ramos, April 2, 2024.

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Ramos, Roberto. Interview 2, Conducted by Roberto Ramos, April 5, 2024.

Walline, Jeffrey J, et al. “Benefits of Contact Lens Wear For Children and Teens.” Eye &

Contact Lens, vol. 33, no. 6, Pt 1, 2007, pp. 317-321. Academic Search Ultimate,

https://doi.org/10.1097/ICL.0b013e31804f80fb.