Vision can be a tricky thing. Because as your vision fades, the brain tends to quickly adapt to the vision loss, making it seem like you can see just fine when in fact you need to have your eyeglass prescription updated. That said, your optometrist will likely recommend complete eye exams at least once every two to three years. This is the general rule, though. If you have existing eye conditions or certain risk factors, the ideal frequency of your eye exams might be a little different.
To give you a better idea of how often you should have your eyes checked, Perception Eyecare + Eyewear shares some tips below.
Age: six months to 20 years
Pediatricians and eye doctors typically recommend having a baby’s vision tested at six months of age. Eye exams should also be done again before the child enters kindergarten or first grade. Then, after that, the frequency of their visits to the eye clinic is up to you.
However, since most of a child’s learning is done visually, it might be best to have your child’s eyes checked every two years. But if you notice your child is showing signs of potential eye strain, don’t wait for their scheduled eye exam anymore. Also, if your child wears glasses, eye exams every six months to a year would be ideal so as to ensure their prescription is still accurate.
Age: 20 to 39
Most adults in this age range should have a complete eye exam every two to three years. But if you fit the following conditions, you should have your eyes checked more often:
- Wearing glasses and/or contacts
- Taking medications with known vision-related side effects
- Experienced a previous eye injury or surgery
- Have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of eye disease
Age: 40 to 64
Your eyes continue to go through changes between the ages of 40 and 64. Vision could possibly be diminishing and lens prescriptions increasing. Apart from these, the lens of your eye may gradually begin to harden as well. This could impact your near vision and result in age-related farsightedness or presbyopia. Furthermore, adults aged 40 to 64 are more prone to developing health conditions that could cause vision loss, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. That said, eye exams should be done more frequently.
Age: 65 and beyond
Once you reach age 65, it is recommended to have a complete eye exam every year. Apart from progressing presbyopia, older adults are more likely to develop cataracts and/or other vision-related issues caused by their other health conditions.
Perception Eyecare + Eyewear is a trusted eye care specialist with years of experience handling various eye conditions. Our areas of expertise include dry eyes, cataract and LASIK co-management, ocular disease treatment and more. Call us at [company_phone] or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.