The importance of regular eye exams can’t be overstated. Whether you require corrective visual aids or think your eyes are healthy, eye exams are essential to ensure you experience clear vision and healthy eyes for years to come.
Routine eye exams help detect eye problems early when they’re most treatable. Keep reading to find out how often you should get your eyes examined!
Children
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, also known as AAO, a qualified health professional should examine your newborn’s eyes first. The following recommended checkup is at six months.
After that, they should go for screening between the age of one and three and again before they begin school. Even if your child has no vision issues or isn’t at risk for eye or vision problems, they should still have their eyes examined at age five.
The American Optometric Association advises that you take your child for eye exams every one or two years after that. This is because their vision might change during their school years.
That said, your child may need more frequent eye doctor visits if they have an existing vision problem or risk factors.
Adults
As a rule of thumb, you need a comprehensive eye exam once in your twenties and then two exams in your thirties. At age forty, the AAO suggests a complete eye examination.
Following this exam, your next visit should be every two to four years until you’ve reached the age of fifty-four. From age fifty-five to sixty-four, it’s a good idea to see your eye doctor every one to three years.
Remember, with the increased use of digital screens, whether your laptop, desktop, smartphone, tablet, or TV, you’re likely to experience eye strain. Digital eye strain has many unpleasant symptoms, including blurred vision, dry eyes, double vision, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain.
You may need to see your ophthalmologist more regularly than this recommended baseline.
Older Adults
If you’re age sixty-five or older, going for eye exams every year or two is extremely important, whether you have symptoms or not. Beyond the age of sixty, you’re more prone to ocular conditions like macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma.
But through regular checkups, your ophthalmologist can catch issues and intervene early, which is critical in saving your sight.
Those with Risk Factors
People with pre-existing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure must schedule eye exams more frequently. These diseases can harm the delicate blood vessels in your eyes, and checkups significantly reduce the risk of vision loss.
If you also have risk factors for poor eye and vision health, you must go for routine exams more often. The risk factors include:
- Family history of glaucoma or diabetes
- Previous eye surgery
- History of eye disease
- Previous eye injury
- Taking prescription medication with side effects that can affect your sight
Comprehensive Eye Exams at VisionFirst Eye Center
Having your eyes checked regularly is an essential part of keeping them healthy. The team at VisionFirst Eye Center provides comprehensive eye exams to ensure you enjoy the best vision possible for a long time to come.
Is it time that you have your eyes examined? Schedule an appointment at VisionFirst Eye Center in Birmingham, AL, today!
