Table of Contents
● Introduction: The Importance of Eye Tests
● What is an Eye Test?
● How Often Should You Get Your Eyes Tested?
● Factors That Affect How Often You Should Get Your Eyes Tested
● Common Eye Problems That Can be Detected Through Regular Eye Tests
● Eye Tests for Children
● Eye Tests for Adults Over 40
● Eye Tests for Contact Lens Wearers
● Eye Tests for People With Certain Medical Conditions
Introduction: The Importance of Eye Tests
Here at The Eye Piece Optometrists, though we love our spectacle frames and love fitting our customers with the latest and greatest in eyewear, we make sure to never compromise on eye care and eye health.
Eye tests are not simply just for a prescription for spectacle lenses or contact lenses. Having good vision requires maintenance and prevention. Our sight is essential for carrying out our daily activities, some of which we may take for granted: driving, reading, and working. However, many people only seek help when there is a problem. It’s important to not forget that regular eye tests are important for detecting any potential problems early as many eye diseases aren’t noticeable until it is too late.
For this reasons, all our clinics have invested in the latest technology to scan, measure and record your eye health. With equipment like OCTs (Optical Coherence Topography), widefield digital cameras (OPTOS) and eye pressure measuring devices, our therapeutically qualified optometrists are experts at looking after your eyes.
What is an Eye Test?
An eye test doesn't just involve reading letters or choosing between “One” and “Two”. In fact, a comprehensive eye examination is an investigation into the many factors that help us to see. Whether it be our prescription, the health of the front of the eye as well as the health inside the eye. Eye tests involve a series of tests to evaluate the health of your eyes and determine any vision problems you may have.
How Often Should You Get Your Eyes Tested?
We generally recommend an eye test every one to two years. However depending on your age, health and medical/ocular history, sometimes it’s important to see you more regularly. In addition, if there’s ever a moment you feel your eyes have changed, experiencing something new or something just doesn’t feel quite right, we insist you come in for a checkup immediately, regardless of when you had your last checkup.
Factors That Affect How Often You Should Get Your Eyes Tested
Age: As you age, your risk of developing eye problems increases, so it is recommended that adults over 40 have their eyes tested every one to two years.
Medical history: If you have a family history of eye problems, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, you may need to have more frequent eye tests.
Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, can affect your eyesight and increase your risk of developing eye problems. People with these conditions should have their eyes tested more frequently.
Eye health: If you wear glasses or contact lenses, or if you have a history of eye problems, you may need to have your eyes tested more frequently.
Common Eye Problems That Can be Detected Through Regular Eye Tests
Regular eye tests can detect a variety of eye problems, including:
● Refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism)
● Amblyopia (lazy eye)
● Strabismus (crossed eyes)
● Cataracts
● Glaucoma
● Macular degeneration
● Diabetic retinopathy
Eye Tests for Children
A child’s sight is essential for how they interact with their environment, what they see, how they learn and ultimately develop. From birth, their visual system is slowly developing and there are certain milestones that are expected as they get older. What’s tricky though is that a child will rarely complain of visual difficulties, especially if they’ve had it for as long as they can remember. They simply don’t know what is “normal”. For this reason, we encourage parents to bring in their children for an eye test at any point. We tailor our eye tests for children in a way that is specific for their age and their level of comfort. Our clinic’s are kid friendly and most importantly the optometrists here at The Eye Piece are determined to make it as pleasant of an experience for both child and parent.
Eye Tests for Adults Over 40
Unfortunately, the age of 40 has developed a reputation for the tipping point where the risk of developing eye problems increases. Most commonly, our reading vision starts to deteriorate significantly at this point, but even more importantly at this age, certain eye conditions and diseases become more evident. If it’s been awhile since your last eye test, definitely think about coming in for a general checkup, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Eye Tests for Contact Lens Wearers
Contact lenses come into direct contact with our eyes. For this reason, even though you may have used them for years and have not had any issues, it’s always important to have the fit of the lenses checked as your eyes can change over time and develop a negative reaction to the contact lenses. In some cases if left unchecked, a contact lens intolerance can be developed which may limit your future use. Let us check to make sure there are no potential contact lens related eye problems developing.
Eye Tests for People With Certain Medical Conditions
People with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are at a higher risk of developing eye problems and should have their eyes tested more frequently.