The right eye-exam frequency for your age

It’s important to respect the recommended eye exam frequency, and yet you’re not made of money, right? Here is a guide to help you know when to go.
When something is especially dear to you, don’t you refer to it as “the apple of your eye?” So then why do so many of us neglect our health? Sometimes it’s because we don’t get the right information about how often we should be examined.

Although the standard may vary according to each individual’s state of health, the Canadian Association of Optometrists makes the following recommendations:

• A first eye examination between the age of six and nine months.
• At least one eye exam between the ages of two and five.
• A yearly exam between ages six and 19.
• An exam every two or three years between 20 and 39.
• An exam every two years between 40 and 64.
• A yearly exam after age 65.

The early detection of vision changes or eye disease can increase your chances of recovery or successful vision correction. Eye doctors are vigilant about several eye conditions, including the following:

• Presbyopia (age-related).
• Myopia (nearsightedness).
• Hyperopia (farsightedness).
• Astigmatism (blurred or doubled vision).
• Strabismus (misalignment of the eyes).
• Cataracts (partial or total lens opacity).
• Glaucoma (elevated internal eye pressure).

Do you have a sore eye? Are you sensitive to light? Is your vision changing? If you notice an unusual symptom, speak to an eye specialist. When some problems are detected early on, they can be treated before your vision is affected.

However, certain diseases can cause blindness. That is why it’s so important to respect the recommended eye exam frequency.

According to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, 250,000 Canadians suffer from glaucoma, and half of them aren’t even aware of it. The problem is that people experience a decrease in vision, but by the time they become aware of it, it is often too late. And since glaucoma isn’t the only eye disease that doesn’t present any early symptoms, eye specialists have good reason for suggesting regular eye exams.

You are more at risk of losing your eyesight if:

• You are over 50 years old.
• Some family members suffer from or have suffered from eye disease.
• You have light skin and light eyes.
• You are diabetic.
• You are overweight.
• You are in poor physical health.
• You smoke.

However, healthy people can also develop eye diseases and visual problems. Now, is that reason enough to make an appointment for an eye exam?