In the past, a routine eye exam was recommended as the standard for good health. Today, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that patients base the frequency of their eye exams on the presence and probabilities of visual problems.
This means that periodic examinations are needed when a patient experiences symptoms of eye disease, when he or she has a family history of eye disease, or when he or she is at the age when Americans are at a high risk for developing eye problems.
We endorse the following Academy recommendations:
- Infants should be screened in the nursery for congenital diseases;
- Children should be screened by age 3 or 4 for visual acuity, ocular alignment (crossed eyes, lazy eye, or droopy eyelid) and ocular disease;
- School-age children should be screened for visual acuity and ocular alignment approximately every two years;
- Adults should have their eyes checked at least once between 20 and 29, and at least twice between age 30 and 39.
- Adults age 40 and older and should have an ocular evaluation every two to four years. After age 40, many adults experience presbyopia, or blurred vision -- the vision problem that is corrected by reading glasses. Adults with with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, a family history of eye disease or a history of eye injury may need to see an ophthalmologist more often.
- After 65 years of age, adults should see an ophthalmologist every one to two years to check for cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other eye conditions.
Regardless of your age, some symptoms could indicate a problem. If you experience any of the following eye conditions, see an ophthalmologist as quickly as possible:
- Visual changes or pain
- Flashes of light
- Seeing spots or ghost-like images
- Lines appear distorted or wavy
- Dry eyes with itching and burning
