Importance of Eye Screening

Importance of health screening

Many people have the misconception that they should only visit the doctor when they are feeling unwell. In fact, regular health screening is one aspect of healthcare that should not be avoided. Health screening is important and it usually involves using tests, examinations or other procedures to detect specific health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, signs of cancers and more. With early detection and treatment, it lowers the risk of serious complications and allows one to embark on a healthier lifestyle. Doctors can also advise patients on how they can prevent possible health problems through intervention.

What is eye screening?

Like health screening, eye screening allows early detection of potential eye abnormalities. As many eye conditions go unnoticed during early stages, it may be too late for treatment if the condition is not detected early. The earlier an eye problem is detected, the appropriate treatment could be recommended in time and administered to prevent permanent visual impairment.

Health screening vs Eye screening

Both types of screening are equally as important as they allow you to detect unnoticed conditions which you can then seek early treatment to prevent serious complications in the future.

	EyescreenTM	General Eye Screening1	Health Screening
When can you go for the screening?	6 months to 6 years old	Anyone	18 years old & above
Frequency	Once every 6 months to 1 year	Once every 1 to 2 years	Once every 2 years
Estimated Cost	$128	$200 & above	$200 - $500
Benefits	- Early detection of paediatric eye problems - Early intervention to reduce risk of threatening eye diseases (later in life) - Timely vision screening - Prevent permanent vision loss	Detect eye health & vision changes	- Reduce your risk of getting sick - Detect potentially life-threatening health conditions or diseases early - Increase chances for treatment and cure - Limit risk of complications by closely monitoring existing conditions - Increase lifespan and improve health - Reduce healthcare costs over time by avoiding costly medical services

References:

1. Regular Eye Examination. SingHealth. https://www.singhealth.com.sg/patient-care/patient-education/regular-eye-examination Accessed on 3 June 2021