Your eyes can hide problems long before you feel anything wrong, and small changes often go unnoticed until they start to affect your daily life. That’s why we care so much about regular eye exams, whether you’re coming in for a quick prescription check or managing a condition like glaucoma.
For most people, an eye exam every 1 to 2 years can help keep vision clear and eyes healthy, but your age and health history may call for more frequent visits.
Why Regular Eye Exams Matter
Many eye diseases develop without pain or obvious vision changes in the early stages. Glaucoma can slowly damage your optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, before you notice any loss of side vision. Find it early, and your optometrist has more ways to help you manage it.
Your exam covers more than the letters on the chart, too. Your optometrist looks at the tiny blood vessels at the back of your eye, and changes there can point to high blood pressure or diabetes. If we see something that needs attention, we’ll help you plan next steps with your primary care physician.
How Often to Get an Eye Exam by Age
Your eyes change as you grow, so the right schedule shifts with age. Here’s a simple way to think about it.
Eye Exams for Children and Teens
Book your child’s first eye exam between 6 and 12 months of age. Plan another visit between ages 3 and 5, and one more before they start first grade.
After that, bring them in every year. Kids’ eyes grow quickly, and a vision problem can make reading the board or keeping up with homework harder than it needs to be. Many kids don’t realize they can’t see well, since they assume everyone sees the way they do.
Eye Exams for Adults 18 to 64
If your vision feels stable and you don’t have any risk factors, plan on an exam every 1 to 2 years. Come in sooner if text starts to look blurry or your eyes feel tired by midday. Frequent headaches can also mean your prescription needs an update.
Around 40, many people find close-up text harder to read. This is called presbyopia, and it happens as the lens inside your eye loses flexibility with age.
Eye Exams for Adults 65 and Older
Once you reach 65, book an exam every year. Cataracts and dry eye become more common in these years, along with macular degeneration, which affects your central vision.
Many of these conditions develop slowly. With yearly visits, your optometrist can compare your results over time and notice small changes you might miss.
How Often to Get Checked If You Wear Glasses or Contacts
Yearly exams keep your prescription current, so your glasses or contacts match how your eyes see today. Even a slightly off prescription can leave you squinting or dealing with tired eyes by the afternoon.
Contact lenses need a fitting on top of your regular exam. A lens that doesn’t sit well on your eye can feel scratchy or dry, and each type of lens comes with its own cleaning and replacement routine.
Your brain also adapts to slow vision changes, so you may not realize how much your sight has changed since your last visit. A yearly exam gives you a clear comparison.
Reasons You May Need Exams More Often
Some health conditions put extra demand on your eyes. Talk to your optometrist about coming in more often if you:
- Have diabetes
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a family history of glaucoma or other eye diseases
- Have had an eye injury or eye surgery
Your daily habits matter as well. Long days at a computer can leave your eyes dry and tired, and you may find it harder to switch focus when you look up from your screen.
Try the 20-20-20 rule during your workday. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You can also ask us about ZEISS computer lenses, which are designed for the distances you use at your desk.
Signs You Shouldn’t Wait to Book
Some symptoms mean your eyes need attention soon, not at your next routine visit. Reach out if you notice any of these.
- Eye pain
- Redness that doesn’t go away
- Ongoing dryness
- New floaters or flashes of light
- Halos around lights
These signs can point to something that responds better to early care. When in doubt, book a visit so the doctor can take a look.
Find the Right Eye Exam Schedule for Your Family
Everyone’s schedule looks a little different, and that’s okay. Bring your questions, and we’ll review your age and health history to help you decide when to come back.
At See & Co., we take the time to walk you through your results so you leave knowing where your eyes stand. Book your next eye exam and let’s keep your vision on track together.
