No Matter Your Age, Eye Exams Play a Key Role in Your Overall Health
Of course, you want to ensure that you can always see as well as possible, but it’s important to have your eyes checked regularly for any signs of eye disease, adverse conditions, or vision loss. Many people don’t realize that eye health can affect your overall health just as much as it affects your vision.
Many eye disorders like macular degeneration and cataracts don’t show symptoms until the condition has progressed and become more difficult to treat. Regular eye exams performed by an ophthalmologist will not only give you a clearer picture of your overall eye health, but they can reveal any early signs of diseases that could affect your vision. Your doctor can spot signs of these conditions well before you would on your own in your everyday life.
In most cases with eye disorders, the sooner the treatment can begin, the better. Diabetes, for example, can cause a common complication in your eyes called diabetic retinopathy which can lead to permanent vision loss. However, with early detection, this is very preventable.
How often should you get your eyes checked?
This depends on a few factors including your age and other health conditions. Children as young as 3 should have their eyes examined for healthy development. Parents should have their kids’ eyes checked again before starting kindergarten—the ophthalmologist will recommend how often their eyes should be checked after that.
Like the other parts of the body, your eyes will lose strength as you get older, and that’s normal. It’s also why older adults require more frequent eye exams.
Most eye doctors recommend that adults under 40 have their eyes examined at least every 5 years, but more frequent exams may be appropriate. Adults older than 40 should have their eyes checked every 2-4 years, and once you reach 65, you should receive an eye exam at least every 2 years. If you wear glasses or experience vision problems, you may want to consider an exam every year or more.
Since more than 10 million Americans over the age of 10 require some form of vision correction, you may want to consider more frequent eye exams.
So just how often should you get your eyes examined? We recommend the following adult age groups have regular eye exams this frequently:
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Age 18-40: At least every 5 years
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Age 41-64: Every 1 to 4 years
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Age 65 and older: Every year
Not sure how often you should be getting your eyes checked based on your age? Give us a call today at 402.933.6600 for a recommendation!
What happens at an eye exam?
Unlike a vision test (a basic test to see if you need vision assistance) eye exams can only be performed by an eye doctor. They will perform a dilated eye test using drops to dilate your pupils and check for the sharpness or your vision, your eye movement, and depth perception. Using special equipment, they can also check your eyes for signs of vision problems like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, and even other health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
You may not think eye exams need to happen as frequently as other medical check-ups, but it’s extremely important to maintain eye health as you age. If you’re due for an eye exam, request an appointment here with the ilumin team or call 402.933.6600 today to give your vision the respect it deserves!
