Having a regular eye exam is an important part of routine health and can assist in detecting conditions early and preventing issues both with the eyes and the rest of the body.
Frequency of an Eye Exam or Routine Eye Health Check
How frequently you should have your eyes examined depends on factors including your age, your overall health, your eye health, and your visual demands.
A child with no health issues or vision complaints will need to have his or her eyes checked less frequently than an elderly individual with severe glaucoma, diabetes, and who is having issues with reading.
It makes sense to have different schedules of frequency based on these differences.
However, it is important to know that regardless of other factors, if you are having any eye problems or vision problems, you should seek an eye exam to identify the cause.
These estimates are based on the frequency someone with no complaints or issues should be examined to make sure that there are no underlying issues which have not yet begun to cause symptoms.
Routine Eye Exams for Children
Children should be evaluated with a comprehensive eye examination, not just a routine vision screening at a school or pediatrician’s office, regularly.
The first eye exam for a child should be within the first twelve months of the child’s life to verify that the child is developing appropriately and there are no concerns regarding the child’s eyes.
After the first eye examination, if there are no concerns, the child may have a routine eye examination every two years until they begin school – typically around age five or six.
When the child is in school, it is recommended that they have routine eye examinations yearly to verify that there are no issues with vision or the eyes that could cause problems with school.
These yearly examinations should continue until the child completes school or college.
Routine Eye Exams for Young Adults
Young adults, aged eighteen to thirty-nine, are often the lowest risk for developing new eye problems.
In this age range, there are fewer conditions which begin without causing any symptoms and these individuals are more likely to be aware of visual changes than a child or younger teenager.
If there are no issues with the eyes or eye health, including not wearing glasses or contact lenses, these individuals can often have a routine eye examination every other year and come in sooner if there are new symptoms or issues.
Routine Eye Exams for Adults and Older Adults
After the age of about forty, vision begins to change and there are many conditions which can start to occur and be detected in an eye exam.
Since the risk of vision change or other conditions is higher is these individuals than in the younger adult populations, anyone over the age of forty should have a routine eye examination at least once per year and more often if deemed necessary by their eye doctor.
Routine Eye Exams for Individuals with Diabetes
Regardless of age or other factors, if you have diabetes of any form, you should have a yearly routine eye examination with a dilated retinal examination.
Diabetes can cause damage to blood vessels and the eye is the only location which this damage can be observed without invasive measures or organ damage.
A diabetic eye exam is covered by medical insurance and will typically be recommended by your primary care doctor each year.