It is a common misconception that eye examinations are every three (3) years or whenever the spectacle vision is not as clear. So today, we are here to talk about eye examinations; testing schedules for kids and adults to the importance of testing.
According to the American Optometric Association, adults between the age of eighteen (18) to sixty-four (64) should have an eye examination yearly, regardless of eye health. Previously, it was recommended for this age group to have eye examinations every two (2) years1. Children and adults over the age of sixty-five (65) should have annual eye examinations or as often as recommended by the optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Some experts suggest that there are no rules for the frequency of eye examinations, however, symptoms and risk factors should not be ignored2.
So why are eye examinations important? Eye examinations are important for the evaluation of eye health and for detecting visual problems and ocular manifestations of systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Vision and eye health have broad implications in impacting on an individual’s daily life, quality of life and independence. For some individuals, systemic diseases can be detected during an eye examination. This is since the eye is the only part of the human body where the nerves and vessels can be viewed in their natural state.
The eye examination can adequately provide the means to evaluate the structure, function and health of the eyes. Therefore, appropriate recommendations are made to provide clear and comfortable vision. As the human body ages, so does the eyes, therefore, a treatment plan is recommended after the eyes are evaluated and the patient is educated on the observations made during the examination.
There are several components to the eye examination which includes patient history, preliminary tests such as cover tests, pupil evaluation and eye muscle assessment, visual acuities, assessment of the internal and external eye structure, eye pressure testing and refraction. During the examination, other necessary tests are performed in order to establish a diagnosis and make appropriate recommendations.
To recap, eye examinations are an essential part of a health assessment and should be done as recommended by your eye care provider in guidance with the recommendations by professional bodies.
Catch us next month for more insight on the eye examination procedure.
Written by: Melanie Ramsuchit MCOptom (Optometrist at Eye Assist Optical Ltd)
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