It’s common knowledge that everyone should have regular eye exams. But what does “regular” actually mean? Should you have your eyes examined every year? Every other year? Or only if you’re experiencing vision problems? In this article, we’ll discuss why regular eye exams are important and how often you actually need to have one.
Why Undergo an Eye Exam
Some people believe that eye exams are only for people with vision problems. If you’ve been experiencing blurred vision, you definitely need an eye exam. However, even if you think you have perfect vision, you still need to have your eyes checked periodically. This is because some eye conditions are asymptomatic in the early stages, making them impossible to detect without an eye exam.
Vision tends to degrade as a person ages, and sometimes small problems can creep up without you noticing. Eye doctors can detect these problems and recommend the necessary treatment to prevent them from worsening.
You should also remember that vision problems can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Therefore, if you have medical problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis, then it would be best to have your eyes checked to make sure that they haven’t been affected by your condition.
What Happens During an Eye Exam?
If it’s your first visit with a particular eye specialist, you’ll likely undergo a comprehensive eye exam. This will begin with an interview about your medical history, family medical history, your current medical condition and any medications you’re taking.
Next, the doctor will need to perform a visual acuity test to determine how sharp your vision is. This typically involves the Snellen chart, which contains rows of different sized letters. You’ll be asked to stand at a precise distance from the chart and read out the letters. Perfect vision will garner you a rating of 20/20. Any rating other than that will mean that your vision is somehow affected and you might need treatment.
Once the doctor has assessed your vision, you’ll undergo several more tests including:
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Color blindness test: to see if you can correctly identify colors
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Cover test: to find out how your eyes work together
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Ocular Motility Test: to find out if your eyes are following movements correctly
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Stereopsis test: to find out if you have good depth perception
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Retinoscopy: to obtain an approximation of your eyeglass prescription if needed
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Refraction test: Done manually or by using a computerized instrument to determine an exact prescription of your eyeglasses.
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Slit lamp exam: to examine the structure of your eyes
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Glaucoma test: performed if the doctor believes that you may be at risk of glaucoma
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Pupil dilation test: to examine the structure of your eyes a bit closer
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Visual field test: to check your peripheral vision
The doctor will perform only the tests they think are needed based on the condition of your eyes. If you are considering wearing contact lenses, you’ll likely undergo a separate exam called a contact eye exam that will involve fitting you for the right-sized contact lenses.
How Often Should You Have Your Eyes Checked?
Now that you’ve undergone a comprehensive eye exam and you’ve been prescribed with eyeglasses or contact lenses, you’re probably wondering when you should return for another exam. The doctor will recommend a date when you should undergo a follow up exam. Ideally this should be with the same doctor, since they will be familiar with your overall eye health.
If you move away, you’ll need to find another eye specialist you can trust to check your eyes. It is possible you might need to undergo another comprehensive eye exam.
How often should you have an eye exam? This varies depending on the patient, but you should always listen to your doctor’s particular recommendation for you. You can also take into consideration the recommendation of the American Optometric Association (AOA), a leading authority on ocular health. The AOA recommends different eye exam frequencies depending on your age and risk factors. The risk factors for children up to 17 years of age differ from adults 18 and onwards.
Risk factors for children
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Problems at birth, including premature birth, abnormal birth weight or abnormal health condition at birth
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Family history of eye diseases and conditions, such as myopia, hyperopia, strabismus, congenital cataracts
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Adverse medical condition of mother during pregnancy, such as hypertension or acquired disease
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Physical health of mother during pregnancy, if the mother smokes, drinks alcohol or uses illegal drugs
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If the child has academic problems, or developmental problems
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If the child has eye or vision problems
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If the child has undergone eye surgery in the past
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If the child has a medical condition and is taking medication
Children with a low risk or that do not display any symptoms associated with a risk, and that are below two years of age, should undergo an eye exam before their first or second year.
Children younger than two years old who are considered at risk should undergo an eye exam before their first year or as recommended by their eye doctor.
Children between three to five years of age without risk should undergo an eye exam before they reach five years. Those with risk factors should have their eyes checked every year or as recommended by their eye doctor.
Children ages five to 17 years old should undergo an eye exam before first grade and every year thereafter. Those with risk factors should undergo an eye exam before first grade and every year thereafter or as recommended by their eye doctor.
The following factors may apply to adults who are considered to be at risk:
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A family history of eye or vision problems, such as ocular diseases
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A health or medical condition that can affect the eyes
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A job that requires them to continuously strain their eyes or that is hazardous to their eyes, such as welding
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Already has a diagnosed eye or vision problem
Adults between the ages of 18 to 39 without risk can undergo an eye exam every two years. Those with risk factors will need to have their eyes checked every year or as recommended by their eye doctor.
Adults between the ages of 40 and 64 and who are without risk can undergo and eye exam every two years. Those with risk factors should undergo an exam every year or as recommended by their eye doctor.
Adults 65 and older without risk should undergo an eye exam every year. Those at risk should have their eyes checked yearly as well, or as recommended by their eye doctor.
As you can see, it’s important to have your eyes checked regularly even if you have not experienced any vision or eye problems. After your first checkup at your selected eye clinic, you should follow the recommendations of your doctor. You should also have your eyes checked as soon as you experience any vision problems or other eye problems.
