Reason for an Eye Exam

You need to schedule regular eye exams as an important part of your vision health care. Because you can develop a serious eye problem without being aware of it, a routine eye exam can help detect eye disorders early, when they are most treatable.

How Often

• According to the Mayo Clinic, a child should receive a comprehensive eye exam between age 3 and 5, and then have vision rechecked every two years. Adults without vision problems should be checked once in their twenties and twice in their thirties, and then every two to four years up to age 65, when they should go every one to two years. If you wear glasses or have a family history of eye disease or a chronic illness such as high blood pressure, you should get an eye exam more often.

Visual Acuity

• An eye exam tests your ability to see things from a distance. If your vision needs correcting, the eye doctor will do a refraction assessment to determine how much adjustment you need.

Visual Field and Color Vision

• Eye doctors also test your visual field (to determine any problems with peripheral vision) and color vision (to check for any problems with perceiving color).

Eye Structure

• The doctor examines the muscles that control eye movement. He also checks the health of the cornea, iris, lens, retina and optic nerve.

Glaucoma

• It is important to be tested for glaucoma, a serious disease that can lead to blindness by building pressure inside the eyes but can be treated successfully if caught early.