4 Reasons You Should Book An Eye Exam (Even If Your Eyes Feel Fine)

Self-care is about more than occasionally treating ourselves to a bubble bath or salted dark chocolate (although we do that too). Self-care means doing intentional things that cultivate our best health and that can range from the joy of a relaxing yoga practice to the discipline of eating less sugar. However it looks for you, there is one thing we've learned: The boundaries of true self-care are far broader than we realized.

Our eyes play a critical role in our overall health, and in celebration of May as Healthy Vision Month, we're making squinting at street signs a thing of the past. Scheduling an annual comprehensive eye exam with VSP Vision Care is a serious gesture of self-care. You've got your go-to acupuncturist, favorite yoga teacher, and preferred esthetician, but have you befriended an optometrist yet? Let's get (20/20) clear on why that's so important:

When we think about the eye doctor, those iconic letter posters come to mind, or we think of getting new stylish glasses. But eye exams are about much more than that: They can help detect serious health conditions, like diabetes. Did you know that 20% of people first learn they have diabetes as a result of a comprehensive eye exam?

Even the American Diabetes Association recommends getting an annual eye exam because early detection can prevent 95% of vision loss caused by diabetes.

We know, adulthood does not come with a lack of appointments. But VSP Vision Care makes things simple: They're the only national not-for-profit company in vision care, providing high-quality and affordable eye care and eyewear for nearly 90 million members. With a network of 40,000 eye doctors, it's easy to find someone wherever you are.

So, when the doc shines that bright flashlight in your eye, you'll know what they're checking for.

Remember the part where we were settling for squinting at street signs? That may feel like no big deal, but poor vision has been linked to chronic headaches1, and keeping our eyes healthy helps our brain function at its best too2. Until you get that new prescription, it's hard to know what you're missing. But corrected vision can be key to reading, writing, and feeling better all-around.

Vision is about more than being able to admire the skyline with precision—it's central to our quality of life. Perhaps scheduling a comprehensive eye exam with a VSP Vision Care network doctor is your act of self-care for the day—you're only one click away to getting back on top of your eye health, and overall health. They say, "The eyes are the window to the soul." But we say, "The eyes are the window to our wellness."