How Often Should I Get An Eye Exam?

“How often should I get an eye exam?” is a common question asked to eye doctors from our patients as well as our families and friends. While blurred vision or redness of the eyes can be indications of problems, some eye diseases develop without any symptoms. This means that having your eyes examined periodically is important to maintaining your vision for the long haul.

Children

For children, it is important to catch any diseases that may threaten the normal development of vision. Kids should have their eyes screened by either their pediatrician, family medicine provider, ophthalmologist, or optometrist at several time points in their early life, including once as a newborn, once between the ages of 6 to 12 months, once between the ages of 1 to 3 years, and once between the ages of 3 to 5 years.

If any issues — such as misalignment of the eyes or evidence of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism — are present on screening, then the child should be seen for a comprehensive exam with an eye doctor. After starting school, symptoms like blurry vision or eye strain when reading are good clues that an eye exam would be beneficial.

Adults

As a young adult, it is not necessary to be seen as frequently for eye examinations as long as vision is clear and no ocular diseases have been diagnosed earlier in life. Examinations are recommended every five to 10 years if you are under 40 years old and every two to four years from ages 40 to 54. Many diseases of the eye, including cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration, become more prevalent over time, so more frequent examination is recommended for those 55 years old and over, even in those without any eye diseases. People aged 55 to 64 should be seen every one to three years, and people 65 and older should be examined every year.

Medical conditions

The general rules of thumb outlined above apply to people without any diagnosed eye conditions and may not be applicable to everyone, however. For example, people with diabetes should have eye examinations every year to monitor for the potentially blinding condition of diabetic retinopathy. Additionally, having high blood pressure puts you at increased risk of diseases involving blood vessels in the eye, so people with high blood pressure benefit from more regular eye examinations as well.

Medications

Certain medications can also cause eye problems. A common example is steroids, which are used for a variety of conditions and may cause problems in the eye including increased eye pressure, which can lead to glaucoma, or cataracts. In addition, Plaquenil (also known as hydroxychloroquine), a medication that is used for inflammatory conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, can cause damage to the retina. You can ask your doctor or other health care provider if any medications you use might necessitate more frequent follow-up with an eye doctor.

Clearly there are a lot of reasons why you may need to get eye exams on a regular basis, and in these cases, your eye doctor can work with you on an individual basis to help you know how often you should be examined. Even if you are one of the lucky people with great eyesight without glasses or contacts, it is important to have regular eye examinations to make sure your vision remains great throughout your lifetime!

Dr. Cason and Dr. Rutzen can be found at Rutzen Eye Specialists & Laser Center, located at 489 Ritchie Highway, Suite 200, in Severna Park. To make an appointment, call 410-975-0090, or learn more at www.rutzeneye.com.