How Often Should Patients Schedule Eye Exams?
Everyone should periodically undergo an eye exam, even if no vision problems are apparent. While some vision problems are accompanied by symptoms like vision deterioration or headaches, other vision problems have no symptoms but can still be very serious.
If you haven’t attended regular eye exams or want to find out whether you need vision correction, visit GW Eye Associates—a state-of-the-art eye care practice serving La Jolla, Carmel Valley, and other parts of San Diego, CA. Changes in vision should be addressed by an optometrist quickly because, in some cases, they signal serious conditions that cause irreversible damage or blindness. Drs. Gordon Wong and Wildon Wong recommend scheduling an eye exam every year, although young adults with no vision problems can schedule eye exams less frequently.
Recommended Frequency of Eye Exams
Exams for Adults
All adults should attend an eye exam every one to two years or when vision changes are evident. If you wear corrective lenses or are over 40, an annual exam is best. People under 40 with great vision may wait two years between appointments.
Exams for Children
Children need their first eye exam at six months. This may seem early, but some babies are born with vision problems that require professional attention.
The ability to move safely around a room, touch and pick up objects, and read depends on what we see and process. Poor vision can keep a child from learning, causing them to fall behind in their development. According to the Visual Learning Centers of America, 80 percent of classroom learning is visual and over half of children with learning difficulties suffer from undiagnosed vision problems.
If your baby’s first eye exam reveals no vision issues, the next appointment should be scheduled before they start preschool or kindergarten. Like adults, kids need eye exams every few years unless they wear corrective lenses, in which case yearly exams are important.
Signs That Your Child Needs an Eye Exam
A parent or teacher may be the first to notice that a child has a vision problem. Some of the habits or symptoms that indicate eye issues include:
- Frequent headaches
- Holding books, tablets, or phones very close or far from the eyes
- Losing place on a line when reading
- Not remembering what was read
- Rubbing eyes
- Rapid blinking
- Avoiding reading
- Covering one eye
- Tilting the head
- Short attention span
- Learning difficulties or poor grades in school
If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t wait for their next eye exam. Contact GW Eye Associates right away.
What We Check for during Eye Exams
Some of the issues we find during eye exams include
- Amblyopia, or lazy eye
- Astigmatism, which causes blurry vision
- Convergence insufficiency
- Strabismus, or misalignment of the eyes
Depending on your age and medical history, we may also screen for serious eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.
Schedule Your Optometric Appointment
If you wear glasses or contacts and it’s time for an eye exam, or if you’ve noticed vision changes and want to restore your sight, we can help. Everyone needs an exam yearly or every two years, even those with great vision. Call GW Eye Associates at (858) 454-4699 or message us to schedule your eye exam.