Regular eye exams are essential for ensuring that your vision remains healthy throughout your life. But how early should you begin having regular eye exams? And how frequently? Read on to learn more about how often people in each age group should have their eyes examined.
Infants and Children Under 18
Babies should have their first eye exam at 6 months unless your pediatrician recommends having them examined earlier. From there, your doctor will recommend further visits. For non-risk children, the age of 3 is when they should usually next see the optometrist. If your child is considered at risk for vision issues, their visits to the optometrist could be much more frequent.
Children are considered at risk for vision issues if they were born prematurely or with a low birth rate, have a family history of certain illnesses, and if their mother suffered from certain infections while pregnant or had a difficult labor.
After age 3, children who are risk free should begin having regular eye exams before they begin first grade and have an eye exam once every two years after that unless otherwise recommended.
Adults Age 18 to 60
Adults who are between ages 18 and 60 and who also are not considered at risk for vision problems should see their optometrist at minimum once every two years. However, if you are a contact lens or an eyeglass wearer, we recommend you come in annually to renew your prescription and have your vision screened for any changes.
Patients who most doctors consider to be "at risk" are patients who have diabetes, hypertension, or a family history of any sort of eye disease. Those who have had eye surgery, take drugs (both prescription and non-prescription) with potential side effects for eyes, and even patients who wear contact lenses can also be considered at risk.
You need to trust your doctor, though, if they recommend that you come in more frequently. If your doctor has concerns or feels that you are at risk for any issue with your eyes, they will ask you to come in more frequently than once every two years. If your doctor does recommend a more intense visit schedule, feel free to ask them what their concern is. Be sure, however, to still follow the doctor's advice no matter what the concern is.
Adults Over 60
Once you reach (and pass) 60 years old, you need to go and visit your optometrist annually. As we age, our eyes become more vulnerable to ocular disease, and our vision can rapidly deteriorate without careful supervision. Over one half of Americans over age 65 have some degree of cataracts clouding to their ocular lens, and catching this early is important to ensuring that you will not suffer from vision loss due to your cataracts. Other diseases, like glaucoma and macular degeneration, also become more common as we age, and also require early detection to discourage vision loss.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7121679
Add Comment