Eye Exams: Why Should I Get One?

Eye exams are preventative exams that help patients make certain that any issues or eye diseases are detected early before they can do too much damage. When it comes to how often you should go for an eye exam, it all depends on your age; it is recommended that those aged 20-39 go for an exam every 2-3 years, those aged 40-64 go every 2 years, and that seniors get an eye exam annually as conditions change and eye diseases are more common with advancing age. Optometrists, or eye doctors, also suggest that children as young as 3-5 go for an eye exam for common childhood eye issues such as lazy eyes and misaligned eyes.

Curious about what eye exams can do to help you and other reasons you should go? Read on to find out more.

While a large portion of why eye exams are important to take regularly lies in the preventative nature of the exams, there are other reasons to take an eye exam:

While vision tests exist in schools for children and also for drivers before they get their licenses both for the first time and renewed, a vision test merely measures how good the vision is at that point in time. An eye exam can look more deeply into your eyes for any issues that might be coming up and can provide peace of mind when it comes to your overall eye health.

Like many parts of our bodies, our eyes change over time. As such, merely getting one eye exam is not enough, and instead, a regularly-followed schedule is better for catching changes, whether they be good or bad.

Your eyes can show symptoms of other diseases you might have, and as such, an eye exam can detect other conditions. Bigger problems such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or even cancer can be detected during an eye exam.

If you’re wondering whether or not to take your child to an eye exam, consider how much more difficult learning is when the board or book you’re trying to read from is blurry. The number of people with myopia, otherwise known as nearsightedness , has risen, so it’s important to get your child an eye exam to make certain they’re seeing as clearly as possible.

Knowing how your eyes are doing can provide stress relief as well as make you feel safer. For example, those who are concerned that perhaps dear old grandad shouldn’t be driving due to his vision can book him in for an eye exam and have proof of whether or not he should continue driving.

If you’re in Biddeford, Maine, and are looking for a good optometrist to go to for an eye exam, look no further than Optometric Associates of Southern Maine ! We offer many optometrical services, including eye exams . Contact us and book an eye exam today.