Why You Should Be Getting Regular Eye Exams
As the organ responsible for your sense of vision, your eyes are pretty darn valuable. During an eye exam, an optometrist will check your vision, ensure your prescription is up to date and bring light to new concerns. But even if everything seems perfectly fine, regular eye tests are a good idea, much like dental hygiene checks at a Tauranga dentist is also important. Some eye conditions can be asymptomatic for a while and catching issues early is key. Here’s what you need to know about routine eye exams.
Optimal eye exam frequency – different strokes for different folks
There’s no blanket rule for eye exam frequency that covers everyone. We can all benefit from regular eye test, but ‘regular’ means something different depending on your age and eye health.
Children
Unless you have any concerns about your child’s vision, we usually recommend having a first eye exam at around three years. Since your child has no comparison point and can’t tell you if they aren’t seeing clearly, it’s a good idea to check their vision at this age. When it comes to identifying vision problems, the earlier the better.
Teenagers
The teenage years are a common time to start wearing glasses and this is often when myopia (near-sightedness) crops up. Often teenagers don’t even know what they’re missing until an eye exam shows them what clear vision looks like. Teens in Tauranga and Mt Maunganui should get an eye test every year or two to make sure there’s no hidden problem. If there is, correcting it early can have a hugely beneficial effect on everything from schoolwork to sports to social lives.
Adults
Even if you haven’t needed glasses yet, regular eye tests are a good idea in adulthood. Whether it’s not seeing into the distance as crisp as you could or small changes needed to improve your existing prescription, an eye test can help. Your optometrist can also remedy other common concerns like dry, sore or tired eyes.
Adults over 40
If perfect vision has meant you haven’t been getting regular eye exams, now’s the time to start. Over 40, your eye’s lens loses some of its give, which affects your ability to focus and prescription lenses could help. Vision aside, it’s worth checking for more serious eye conditions that can arise around this age including glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.
Eye abnormalities or concerns
If you have vision concerns, structural abnormalities or a family history of certain medical conditions, your optometrist may carry out extra tests during your routine eye exam. This could include a visual field test to check your peripheral vision, examining your optic nerve and cornea scans.
Has it been a while since your last routine eye exam?
With clinics in Tauranga and Mt Maunganui, Blur Eyecare has you covered – book an appointment today.