Look, I get it. Life’s crazy busy, and eye exams? They’re easy to push off. Trust me, I’ve been there too. You’re seeing fine enough, handling work, managing the kids, and suddenly you realize when was my last eye checkup? Two years ago? Three?
I was chatting with Dr. Miller at Valley Optometry last week, and he mentioned something that honestly freaked me out a bit. As your Reseda Eye Doctor, he sees too many patients who wait until they’re having serious problems before coming in, so permanent damage might already be done. Yikes.
It’s Not Just About Glasses, People
So I learned this incredible thing—your eyes sometimes show signs of other health problems before the rest of your body. Crazy, right? When they dilate your eyes (yeah, the annoying drops), they’re looking for early signs of:
- Diabetes (which runs in my family, so I’m extra paranoid)
- High blood pressure (which my husband is already on meds for)
- High cholesterol (guilty I love cheese too much)
- Some autoimmune stuff (which my sister deals with)
- Even certain cancers can show signs in your eyes (didn’t sleep well after hearing that)
- Brain problems (which explains why they have you follow their finger with your eyes)
Our Poor Eyes in 2025
Let’s be honest we’re all glued to screens now more than ever. Between my work laptop, doom-scrolling on my phone, and binge-watching The Last Dance (again) with my husband, my eyes are screaming for help by dinnertime.
My teenage son has been complaining about headaches for months. We tried everything Tylenol, more water, less screen time but nothing helped. At his eye exam, it turned out he needed glasses just for computer work. Headaches? Gone in a week. I felt like the mother of the year for that one (insert eye roll here).
Kids and Their Eyeballs
Speaking of kids did you know vision problems can make them look like they have learning disabilities? My friend’s daughter was struggling in school, and they were about to put her through all these expensive tests for ADHD. Turns out, after an eye exam, she couldn’t see the board clearly and needed glasses. Now she’s back to getting As and Bs.
The doctor told me that about one in four kids has vision problems, but they don’t complain because they think everyone sees the way they do. My mind was blown. How would they know any different?
Getting Older Isn’t For Wimps
Now that I’m over 40, I’m starting to see those little “reader” glasses everywhere in my house. At my mom’s house (she’s 72), it’s a whole different story. Her eye doctor caught early macular degeneration last year, and now she’s on special vitamins and has regular check-ins.
Mom’s friend Barb wasn’t so lucky. She skipped her exams for years, and by the time she went in, her macular degeneration was too advanced. She can’t drive anymore and has trouble recognizing faces. That’s not the retirement she planned.
The Cool Tech They’ve Got Now
When I went to Valley Optometry last month, they had this wild machine that took detailed pictures of the back of my eye no dilation needed! The doctor could zoom in and see all these tiny blood vessels and nerves. They compared it to my scan from last year to check for any changes.
Honestly, the technology they have now is like something out of Star Trek. They can catch eye diseases years earlier than they could when I was a kid.
What It Costs to Skip That Appointment
So I did the math (not my strong suit, but I tried). An eye exam costs what—a couple of hundred bucks with insurance? Compare that to:
- The thousands in medical bills if you develop serious eye problems
- Missing work because you can’t see properly
- Not seeing your kid’s soccer game clearly
- The frustration of struggling with everyday tasks
- Becoming dependent on others if your vision gets bad
When I think about it, an hour a year and some insurance co-pay seems like nothing.
Just Do This, OK?
Here’s what I’m doing now, and honestly, you should too:
- I’ve got a recurring calendar reminder for my annual eye exam
- I GO to the appointment instead of rescheduling 6 times
- I follow the doctor’s advice about eye drops, screen breaks, etc.
- I pay attention to changes in my vision between visits.
I’ve started treating my eye appointments like my teeth cleaning non-negotiable. Well, it’s mostly non-negotiable (I may have canceled once when Taylor Swift tickets went on sale, but don’t tell my doctor).
Look, I’m not perfect at this health stuff, either. But after the scare with my mom’s friend, I’m not messing around with my vision anymore. Too much is at stake.
If you’re overdue for an exam, just call Valley Optometry. Their front desk staff is super nice (unlike that one dentist office I went toy likes), and they can usually get you in quickly. Your future self will thank you. Promise.