It's crucial to have regular eye exams regardless of your age and physical health.
During a full eye evaluation, your Bethesda eye doctor will not only establish your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but will also look at your eyes to check for common eye diseases, how your eyes work together in sync and assess your eyes as an indicator of your general health.
A full eye examination at Bethesda Vision Care includes a variety of tests and procedures to examine and establish the health of your eyes and the quality of your vision. These tests range from standard ones, like the reading of an eye chart, to complex tests, such as using a high-powered lens to identify the health of the tissues inside your eyes.
Eye care experts in Bethesda, MD suggest you have a complete eye exam every year.
Annual Eye Exams in Bethesda & Chevy Chase, MD
The American Optometric Association (AOA) suggests that any adult who wears eyeglasses or contacts should have an annual eye exam.
If you don't normally need vision correction, you still need an eye exam. Bethesda Vision Care doctors recommend that adults with diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders have more frequent examinations because many diseases can have an impact on vision and eye health. Even if you don't need a vision correction, the eye exam can pick up eye problems that you wouldn't even know about even if you had it. And with the eye, early treatment is imperative for the best outcome.If you are over the age of 40, it's advised to have your eyes checked to look for common age-related eye problems such as presbyopia, cataracts and macular degeneration. See more about Vision After 40.
As the risk of eye disease continues to rise with advancing age, everyone over the age of 60 should have their eyes checked annually. Read more about Vision After 60.
Pediatric Eye Care in Bethesda
Some experts estimate that approximately 5% to 10% of pre-schoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision problems. As recommended by the AOA, all children should have their eyes examined at 6 months of age, at age 3 and again when they begin school. For those children without any problems with vision or are at risk for eye or vision problems should then continue to have their eyes examined at least every two years throughout school.
Children with existing vision problems or risk factors should have their eyes examined more frequently. Common risk factors for vision problems include:
- premature birth
- developmental delays
- turned or crossed eyes
- history of eye injury
- family history of eye disease
- other physical illness or disease
The AOA suggests that children who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses should have their eyes checked at least every 12 months or according to their eye doctor's instructions.
Schedule your next eye exam at Bethesda Vision Care.