Why Have Annual Eye Exams?

Although some people may feel that an eye exam every year is too frequent, yearly eye exams are a great idea for many reasons. Your annual eye exam is a good way to check not only your need for glasses or a prescription change, but will also assess your eyes for common eye diseases and evaluate your eyes as an indication of your overall health. Many eye diseases, if detected early, can be treated successfully without total vision loss. The goal of your annual eye exam is to avoid or minimize adverse effects on the eyes and vision, as well as to identify potential problems in order to prevent any problems from getting worse, and potentially leading to vision loss.

Children and Eye Exams

Many vision problems begin at any early age, so it is important for children to receive proper eye care on an annual basis. Early detection and treatment are essential in preventing conditions that could potentially cause problems or permanent vision loss. Since vision is involved in 80 percent of learning, children who are having trouble seeing may perform poorly at school, exhibit poor behaviour or attention or exhibit a reading or learning disability. These children should be examined to rule out any underlying visual conditions.

Adults and Eye Exams

Adults should have their eyes tested yearly to keep their prescriptions up-to-date and to check for early signs of eye diseases. Presbyopia, which is the age related loss of accommodation starts between the age of 38 to 45 years of age and affects most everybody by around 50 years. In addition, there are various retinal diseases and conditions of the eye which result in loss of vision. Diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and side effects of drugs may occasionally be observed during your eye examination.

Seniors and Eye Exams

At around 60 years of age, annual eye examinations are recommended because of the increased risk of developing cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and other eye diseases. Many eye diseases may have no symptoms in their early stages and are best detected early to help reduce your risk of permanent vision loss.

Contact Lenses and Eye Exams

For contact lens wearers, a comprehensive eye examination and contact lens evaluation is extremely important. Besides making sure your prescription is up-to-date, an evaluation is made of the health of the front of the eye, the curvature of the cornea and any microscopic complications related to wearing a contact lens. The cornea is also evaluated for abnormal blood vessel growth related to a lack of oxygen to the cornea.

Vision is one of your most precious senses and having good eyesight greatly improves the quality of life. Remember to schedule your Yearly Eye Exam with us today.