Jennifer Aniston will now need an eye exam at age 40. Photo hubpages.com
Have you wondered when you should start getting your eyes checked? The answer depends on whether you are experiencing problems with your eyes or your vision, whether you have history of eye problems, or if anyone in your family has eye problems.
If you are experiencing any of the following eye symptoms you should see an eye doctor.
• Blurry vision
• Double vision
• See floaters and/or flashing lights
• See a “curtain” fall over a field of vision or part of your vision field becomes blurry
• Experience eye pain, dryness, redness, itching, or irritation
• Can’t wear contact lenses comfortably
If you don’t have any eye symptoms, but wear glasses and/or contacts you should see an eye doctor. Follow up exam frequency will depend on the findings of your initial exam.
• If your eyes are found to be healthy at the initial exam, follow up exam frequency is typically once a year
• Pupillary dilation and eye pressure check are important components of yearly exam to evaluate the health of your retina, optic nerve, and to detect early glaucoma.
If you don’t have any eye symptoms and you had LASIK or PRK to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism, you should continue yearly examinations with your eye doctor.
• Laser vision correction changes the shape of your cornea. The shape of your eye, however, remains the same. Therefore, you should have a dilated eye exam once a year to continue monitoring the health of your retina and optic nerve. Eye pressure needs to be checked once a year as well to continue monitoring for glaucoma.
If you don’t have any eye symptoms but have been diagnosed with the following conditions, you should have an initial eye exam when you are diagnosed. Follow up exam frequency will depend on the findings of your initial exam.
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Collagen vascular conditions, such as lupus, sjogren’s, etc.
• Thyroid disease
• Conditions that require taking certain medications that have potential effect on the eyes, such as tamoxifen for breast cancer, plaquenil for collagen vascular disease, such as lupus, Accutane for skin disorders, for example.
If you don’t have any eye symptoms, you are healthy, and don’t wear glasses and contacts, you should have yearly examinations starting at 40 years old.
• Based on the results of the screening, the eye doctor will prescribe the necessary intervals for follow up exams.
If you have family history of the following eye conditions, you should have an initial eye exam, followed by exam frequency that will depend on the findings of your initial exam.
• Glaucoma – glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. The patients generally have no symptoms, until the disease is advanced and difficult to treat. Glaucoma is diagnosed by an eye doctor who measures pressure in the eye, examines the optic nerve in the back of the eye, and performs visual field tests. If diagnosed early, the disease can be controlled and progression slowed down.
• Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) – ARMD is a common cause of blindness in adults. It can impair vision. Treatment options exist and can be effective if disease is detected before significant damage occurs. Prevention is also possible and should be undertaken if you have family history of the condition.
• Eye cancer – although rare, if there is any family of eye cancer, you should have your eyes examined.
How frequently should you see an eye doctor?
• Once a year if you don’t have any eye symptoms and your eyes were found to be healthy at your initial examination.
• More frequently if eye problem(s) was/were diagnosed at your initial examination. The frequency will be recommended by the eye doctor depending on your diagnosis.
When should children see an eye doctor?
• Infants should be examined if they have blocked tear duct (the symptoms are tearing, discharge, and/or red eye), red eye, discharge, wondering eye, “cross eyes,” or strabismus. If there is active venereal disease during vaginal delivery, the newborn’s eyes should be examined.
• Premature infants should have their eyes examined.
• If there is family history of crossed eye, lazy eye, eye patching, eye surgery in children, and/or glasses at 2-years old, the child should be seen by the time they are one year old.
• If there is no family history of the above problems, the child should have their eyes examined by the time they are ages 3 to 5.
• If a child is complaining of blurry vision, not being able to see the blackboard, having to sit close to the blackboard to see, difficulty reading, headaches or eye strain while reading.
Pacific Vision Institute www.pacificvision.org
Get Eye Smart www.geteyesmart.org
American Academy of Ophthalmology www.aao.org
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
www.aapos.org
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