Out of all five senses, vision is arguably at the top of the list as one of the most important. Think of how sight is used from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep. The world would be a lot less dynamic without being able to see.

That’s why you should never slack on routine eye exams, especially if you already wear corrective lenses. Even if you have perfect vision, there are other important reasons to see your ophthalmologist or optometrist regularly.

1. To Keep Up With a Changing Prescription

If you already wear glasses or contacts, it’s important to regularly get an exam to be on top of any changes in your vision so your eyesight stays sharp.

2. If You Wear Contact Lenses

For contact lens wearers, your prescription most likely expires in one year. If you need to re-up on lenses, it’s imperative to get a contact lens exam so that you’re able to order more. Fit is also super important, so if there are any changes with how your contacts feel, your doctor can help recommend another brand to suit your needs. Contact lens technology is also constantly changing so they might even be able to recommend a new brand to try.

3. To Detect Eye Diseases

Alongside a variety of tests, your eye doctor will usually put eye drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils so that they can get a clearer look inside. With such a close examination of your eye’s inner workings, they can check your eyes for diseases like cataracts, glaucoma and macular deterioration. This is even more important as you get older since these are usually age-related, even if you’ve never had eye issues earlier in life.

4. To Catch Other Health Problems

Your eyes can actually give a great picture into your overall health. With a close look at all the blood vessels, nerves and other parts of the eye, your eye doctor can detect diseases that affect you in other parts of your body like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even cancer– sometimes before symptoms are noticed by you. With early detection also comes early treatment which will be vital in hopefully preventing further complications.

5. If You Have Diabetes

Those with diabetes are more vulnerable to certain eye diseases, specifically diabetic retinopathy, caused by high blood sugar’s effect on blood vessels. This can lead to vision loss so the American Diabetes Association recommends those with diabetes to get an eye exam yearly.