Just how often should someone have an eye exam?

That depends upon age and risk factors someone may have.  Regular eye care should be a part of everyone’s yearly health routine including a physical exam and dental care. 

How often should children and young adults have an eye exam?

Children and young adults under the age of 18 should be seen on a yearly basis if possible.  During those years the eyes can have a change in prescription more frequently.  It is also a good idea to make sure that there are no undetected vision problems like focusing problems, amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (crossed eyes).

It is recommended by the American Optometric Association that children have their first eye exam at 6 months of age, then at age 3 or before starting school and every one to two years as recommended by the eye care professional.  Wisconsin has recently passed a statute recommending that children have their eyes examined before starting kindergarten beginning Fall 2002.

How often should people over the age of 18 have an eye exam?

Even if your vision seems to be just fine, it is always a good idea to make sure that your eyes are healthy.  Many eye and vision conditions, like glaucoma, can have no symptoms and therefore, you may not be aware that a problem exists.  Yearly exams can help detect subtle changes in the eye that could lead to early diagnosis of a problem and treatment to avoid permanent vision loss.

If you have diabetes, it is a good idea to have your eyes checked yearly or even more frequently depending upon the severity of the diabetes.  This is to monitor for any changes in the back of the eye that could lead to vision loss.  The earlier changes are detected, the better the outcome for treatment.

If you have any systemic problems or are taking any medications that could affect the health of your eyes, it is a good idea to have a yearly eye exam.

How often should a contact lens wearer have an eye exam?

Contact lens wear has become a popular form of vision correction.  But it should be taken seriously.  Evaluation of the fit and prescription of contact lenses should be done on a yearly basis.  The health of the cornea is important to avoid infections or corneal ulcers.  Sometimes small changes can be detected and treated to avoid vision loss and termination of contact lens wear.

 

What makes a good eye exam?

The thoroughness of an eye exam is the mark of quality.  A comprehensive eye exam should include the following things:

	complete review of your personal medical and ocular history
	complete review of your family’s medical and ocular history
	testing your ability to see clearly at near and far distances
	testing for any prescription:  nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia
	testing eye coordination and muscle function
	evaluation of interior and exterior signs of eye disease including pressure checks and dilation

 

There are many other tests that can also be included such as color vision, depth perception and pupil responses.

Always feel free to discuss any unusual symptoms you may have experienced since your last exam with your eye care professional.  Vision changes, the appearance of flashes or floaters, eye injuries, and increased frequency of headaches are some of the symptoms that your eye care professional needs to be informed about.  The more your eye care professional knows about what a person has experienced with their eyes, the better the care that can be provided.