Family Doctor Health Advisor
Feeling unwell | Tiredness | Loss of weight | Overweight | Difficulty in sleeping | Fever | Excessive sweating | Headache | Feeling faint and passing out | Dizziness | Numbness and/or tingling | Forgetfulness and/or confusion | Twitching and/or trembling | Pain in the face | Difficulty in speaking | Disturbing thoughts and feelings | Depression | Anxiety | Lumps and swellings | Itching | Hair and scalp problems | General skin problems | Skin problems affecting the face | Skin discoloration and moles | Rash with fever | Nail problems | Painful or irritated eye | Disturbed or impaired vision | Hearing problems | Noises in the ear | Earache | Runny or blocked nose | Sore throat | Hoarseness or loss of voice | Wheezing | Coughing | Shortness of breath | Chest pain | Palpitations | Teeth problems | Mouth problems | Difficulty in swallowing | Vomiting | Recurrent vomiting | Abdominal pain | Recurrent abdominal pain | Swollen abdomen | Wind | Diarrhoea | Constipation | Abnormal-looking faeces | Anal problems | General urinary problems | Painful urination | Painful joints | Painful shoulder | Painful arm | Painful leg | Painful knee | Swollen ankles | Foot problems | Back pain | Painful or stiff neck
Disturbed or impaired vision
This chart deals with any change in your vision, including blurring, double vision, seeing flashing lights or floating spots, and loss of part or all of your field of vision. Any such change in vision should be brought to your doctor's attention to rule out the possibility of a serious nervous system or eye disorder, some of which could damage your sight. Successful treatment of many of these disorders may depend on detecting the disease in its early stages.
Warning
Danger signs Sudden loss or blurring of your vision in one or both eyes may be a sign of a serious eye disorder. Call an ambulance or arrange to be taken to the emergency department of a hospital.
Screening for glaucoma
In glaucoma, raised fluid pressure in the eye can cause irreversible loss of vision. Screening for glaucoma is usually carried out as part of a routine eye examination. In the screening test, a small puff of air is aimed at the front of the eye to measure the pressure inside it. The procedure is painless and only takes a few seconds. You should be tested for glaucoma regularly if you have a family history of glaucoma, you are aged 60 or more, you are very short-sighted or diabetic.
Vision testing
Having a vision test
Different lenses are put into the phoropter and are changed until you are able to read letters near the bottom of the chart.
You should have your vision tested every 2 years, especially once you are over 40. The most common test gauges the sharpness of your distance vision by assessing how well you can read letters lined up in decreasing size on a Snellen chart. Your ability to focus on near objects may also be measured by asking you to read very small print on a chart held at normal reading distance. These tests show whether you need corrective lenses, and, if so, which ones. In addition, your optometrist will examine your eyes to look for disorders such as diabetes and high blood pressure, which can cause changes in the back of the eye before general symptoms develop. You may also be tested for glaucoma (see Screening for glaucoma).
Family Doctor Health Advisor is for information purposes only, and is designed as a general reference and catalyst to seeking further information.
The RACGP is not engaged in providing medical or other advice or services, and is not responsible for the results of any actions taken by any person on the basis of any information in this publication, or for any error in, or omission from, this publication.
Publication Date: 31 March 2009
Authorised By: RACGP
