Preparing for an Eye Exam
It is recommended that you have a complete eye exam every one to three years, depending on your age, risk factors, and physical condition. It is recommended that any adult who wears eyeglasses or contacts has an annual eye exam. If you don’t normally need vision correction, you still need an eye exam every two to three years up to the age of 40, depending on your rate of visual change and overall health. More frequent eye examinations are suggested for adults with diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders, because many diseases can have an impact on vision and eye health.
If you are over 40, it’s a good idea to have your eyes examined every one to two years to check for common age-related eye problems such as presbyopia, cataracts and macular degeneration.
The risk of eye disease increases with advancing age, so everyone over the age of 60 should be examined annually.
Who Should I See for my Eye Exam?
Who you should see depends on your needs and preferences.
- Optometrists (ODs) are eye doctors who can help improve your vision and determine whether you’re at risk for other conditions such as stroke, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, brain tumors and multiple sclerosis. They can prescribe glasses and contacts and treat medical conditions of the eye with eye drops and other medicines. They do not perform eye surgery.
- Ophthalmologists are medical doctors (MDs or DOs) and are similar to an Optometrist but can also perform surgery for patients who have problems such as cataracts or glaucoma.
What information should I take with me to my eye exam?
It’s important to have some basic information ready at the time of your eye examination and you should bring the following items to your appointment:
- All eyeglasses and contact lenses you routinely use, including reading glasses.
- A list of any medications you take (including dosages).
- A list of any nutritional supplements you take (including dosages).
- A list of questions to ask the doctor (especially if you are interested in contact lenses or LASIK surgery).
- Bring your medical or vision insurance card
It is recommended that you have a complete eye exam every one to three years, depending on your age, risk factors, and physical condition. Don’t wait until you have problems to see an eye doctor, take care of your eyes now and help ensure your visual health for the future.
Source: All About Vision®.
