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"I See Great, I Don't Need
an Eye Exam!" ...Wrong!
Unfortunately, there remains a segment of
the population that perceives the necessity of an eye exam only when they
are having trouble seeing things; when they may have trouble seeing while
driving or while working/reading.
However, there is more to an eye examination than evaluating just how well
you see (there is more to your eyes than 20/20.) Eye diseases are similar
to other diseases in the body; if they are diagnosed early and treated,
they will likely cause less health problems for the person later in life.
Toddlers/Preschoolers
It is extremely important for children with a family history of Amblyopia
(a lazy eye – an eye that is unable to see 20/20 with the aid of
eyeglasses or contact lenses) or Strabismus (a wandering eye – an eye that
turns out or in) to have their children examined before the age of four
(4). Studies show that if these two conditions are diagnosed and treated
before the age of 4, there is a much greater chance of the child obtaining
20/20 vision as they get older.
Kindergarten
A routine eye examination can detect significant nearsightedness,
farsightedness and astigmatism that can significantly hinder a child’s
ability to learn (link) in school. ALL children should have their first
eye examination before first grade.
Significant vision conditions, like severe astigmatism (an eye shaped like
an egg or football rather than round), are inherited from parents or
grandparents. A child that has a parent, sibling or grandparent with a
significant visual condition increases the chance the child will have it
too.
School-Aged Children
Certainly children already wearing a prescription must be examined yearly.
Vision corrections tend to change the most as our bodies are growing and
there is no other segment of the population that is growing faster than
school-aged children.
Any school-aged child having difficulty learning and/or reading,
complaining of tired and sore eyes, or complaining of headaches should
have an eye examination.
College Years
Some studies show that the progression of nearsightedness is linked to
near-point work, i.e. reading, etc. Because students are using their eyes
while reading and studying, they should also be examined yearly.
People over 40
Most people at some point in their 40’s begin to have more difficulties
focusing while looking at near (we call it accommodating.) While the
over-the-counter readers offer assistance to many of the people in this
age range, they do not work well for patients with astigmatism and those
with eyes that are not visually balanced.
If your eyes are well suited for the over-the-counter reading glasses,
your doctor can recommend the proper strength to buy. If your eyes are not
suited well for them, he/she will give you a prescription for proper
reading glasses.
People over 65
This age category is where we see the most eye disease like cataracts,
glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. I recommend yearly
examinations for all seniors, whether they are having problems seeing or
not.
The Bottom Line: Eye
examinations are not just for those that are having trouble seeing as well
as they would like; they are for all of us who want to take care of the
only two eyes given to us. ~RQ
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