Do routine check ups actually do us any good? Today many of us undergo regular screening health checks and contribute to a multimillion shekel health care industry which markets itself heavily as the way to detect disease earlier, treat it earlier and achieve a healthier life.
On the face of it, one would think that nothing but benefit could arise from such check ups and every shekel spent must be justified. The reality though is not quite so simple. Some testing worthwhile, and some is not as we shall see.
For a screening programme to be worthwhile several criteria must be fulfilled in order for benefit to be evident. For instance:
- if the patient is going to be aware of his disease at a very early stage any way, screening for it may not be worthwhile.
- If the disease screened for is not treatable, there is no point in screening for it.
- If the disease is incredibly rare and the tests involved to screen for it are extremely unpleasant physically or generate much unnecessary worry, such screening may be of doubtful value.
- And diseases requiring expensive screening tests may be uneconomical, as no money will remain for treating patients with positive results, or for other commoner, more easily treatable conditions.
In my eye clinic I see many patients who come for regular check ups to see if their cataracts have progressed even if they are not complaining of any vision problem. Today we operate on cataracts when the patient complains of blurred vision which is interefering with his/her quality of life. Regular screening for mild cataracts which are causing no problem is therefore unnecessary as no treatment is available or required. (The exception to this is the patient whose poor vision has developed so gradually and slowly that he/she is unaware of just how bad his/her vision has become-but this type of usually elderly patient tends to refuse surgery, or often even to update his/her glasses!)
However glaucoma is another common blinding disease which definitely should be screened for. Most sufferers are unaware of their condition; it is treatable if caught at an early stage, and can usually be easily diagnosed in a simple clinic examination. This is a classic case of beneficial medical screening.
If you are over 40 you should be examined once every 2 years at least, and if over 60, have a family member with glaucoma, are near sighted or diabetic, examinations should be annual.
Eye and Vision Check Ups-Are they Worthwhile?
Eye Clinic,
Medical Centre
88 Ahuza St
Ra'anana, Israel
Copyright All Rights Reserved 2006
Dr Andrew Fink MD for
Ra'anana Eye Clinic, Israel
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