How Often For Eye Exams?

Dr. White came back to the office the other day after a dentist appointment. Apparently the dentist was unhappy with our good Doctor. It seems that it had been a little more than a year since Dr. White had been in to have his teeth checked, and the dentist said it should be every 6 months. That got us to thinking: how often should you have your eyes checked?

Every infant has an eye exam performed by a pediatrician before leaving the hospital. This exam rules out any major, obvious problems that can be visible at birth. From that time on a child is examined during well-baby and well-child checks by the pediatrician. In the United States almost all schools test vision at some time around the beginning of first grade and then every few years after that.

While this is wonderful for screening purposes, the doctors at Skyvision Centers feel very strongly that EVERY child should have a complete eye exam performed by an eye doctor, either an ophthalmologist or an optometrist, before starting kindergarten or first grade. If there is a history of eye problems like amblyopia (lazy eye) in the family, an exam at age three should be performed. Children without any eye problems who do not need to wear glasses should then be examined at school junctures: grade school to middle school, middle school to high school, high school to college.

Every day we see an adult who hasn't had an eye exam since leaving high school! Adults under the age of 40 should have a complete exam at least every 4 or 5 years. At the age of 40 there are some eye diseases and problems that start to develop that don't have any symptoms. We suggest that adults between 40 and 60 get an exam every 2 years. After age 60 EVERYONE should have a complete exam every year!

So there you have it, a roadmap to healthy eyes over your lifetime, courtesy of Skyvision Centers and Dr. White's dentist!

How Often Should My Eyes Be Examined?

OK...you've graduated from school and now you are an adult. Congratulations! When, and how often, should you have your eyes examined? Well, if you are healthy and you don't need any glasses at all, you can probably be seen every 3 or 4 years until you reach 40 or so. After that once every 2 years is reasonable. At the age of 60 the Skyvision doctors think everyone should have a complete eye exam every year.

If you wear glasses to see near, far, or both it's best to be seen every two years until the age of 60, and then every year after that. For people who wear contact lenses, EVERYONE needs to be seen at least once per year. Contact lenses sometimes have "silent" problems, and the only way to know if you are safe to continue wearing them is by seeing your Skyvision Centers doctor every year.

There are some special rules for  people with specific eye or medical problems. For example, if you have diabetes you need to have a complete, dilated eye exam at least once per year. We will send a note to your treating doctor with the results. Other medical problems or treaments like the use of Plaquenil or treating Hepatitis C have special requirements. Of course, if you have an eye disease like Glaucoma or Macular Degeneration you should follow your doctor's recommedations regarding follow-up exams.

Remember to keep your eyes safe! Don'f forget your eye exams!!