How Often Should You Get an Eye Exam?

Vision is perhaps the most important of all the senses, yet many people fail to consider how crucial it is to their quality of life until a problem occurs. The single most important factor for great eye health is regular eye exams. But how often should they be carried out?The following discusses the regularity of eye tests during the different stages of your life.

How Often Should You Get an Eye Exam?: Different ages and risk factors

•     How often should you get an eye exam? Adults
•     How often should you get an eye exam? Seniors
•     How often should you get an eye exam? Children

How often should you get an eye exam? Adults

In general, all healthy adults should have a regular eye examination every 2 years. According to the institute, Prevent Blindness, dilated eye exams (where eye drops are used to widen the pupil for a more in-depth examination) should also be carried out as follows:

•     Age 20-39 years & of African-American descent: This should be carried out every 2-4 years
•     Age 20-39 years & Caucasian: A dilated eye exam should be undertaken every 3-5 years

The reason for the difference is because the cultural background can pre-dispose individuals to certain eye conditions.

•     Age 40-64 years old: Dilated eye examinations should be carried out every 2-4 years

How often should you get an eye exam? Seniors

Seniors aged 65 years and over should undergo a comprehensive eye exam every 1-2 years.

How often should you get an eye exam? Children

Regular eye examinations (not dilated) for children should be carried at the following stages:

•     Around 6 months
•     Between 2-2 ½ years
•     Just before commencing school
•     Every 2 years, up until the age of 18

How Often Should You Get an Eye Exam: Special conditions

•     Special considerations

Special considerations

There are many reasons why it might be necessary to undergo more eye examinations than mentioned above. This might be because of recognized eye issues, the need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, fluctuating eye prescriptions, and other pre-existing health conditions.The following are just some reasons for having more frequent eye examinations:

•     A family history of eye disease: Such as glaucoma or macular degeneration
•     Drug use: Either prescription or non-prescription that can effect on eye health
•     Diabetes: Both type I and type II, due to the risk of diabetic retinopathy
•     High blood pressure
•     A history of eye surgery or eye injury
•     A vision prescription that’s not yet settled
•     Working in an occupation that’s hazardous to eye health
•     Children who experienced various issues during birth:  Such as premature birth, low birth weight, mother suffered an infection during pregnancy
•     Children with the following: Delayed development, physical illness or disease, turned or crossed eyes, high refractive errors, etc.

The regularity of eye examinations should always be on the advice of your ophthalmologist. He or she will advise as to when these are necessary. This might change throughout your lifetime, as certain eye conditions (such as refractive errors) often go through a period of fluctuation before settling. The key to optimal visual health is early diagnosis of any problems. That way they can be monitored and addressed if necessary, so ensuring that your vision remains as good as it can as the years pass by.

Contact the West Boca Eye Center to Book Your Eye Exam Now

Eye health should never be left to chance, and the most important way you can look after your vision is to schedule regular eye exams. Dr. Brent Bellotte and the whole team at the West Boca Eye Center are dedicated to providing the ultimate care to their patients.Offering world-beating facilities and expertise, the center is ideally placed to provide both routine eye care and treatment of all vision-related conditionsVisit https://westbocaeyecenter.com to find out more and get in contact to book your treatment now.