Signs You Should Schedule an Eye Exam

Professional eye exams are essential to clear vision and ocular health. The exams are an opportunity for an ophthalmologist or optometrist to not only evaluate your visual acuity but also look at the overall health of your eyes. An eye exam can catch a potentially serious eye problem in its early stages, when it is more easily treatable.

It may not be clear exactly when or how often you should schedule eye exams. Below, the team at Access Eye reveals signs that indicate it might be time for you to book an appointment.

You cannot remember your last eye exam.

In your early adult life, it’s sufficient to have eye exams every two years. But after the age of 60, you should probably have an eye exam every year, as the chances of developing a serious eye problem increase with age.

If it’s been long enough that you don’t remember your last exam, it’s probably time to contact your eye doctor and schedule a visit.

You have dark or shadowy spots in your vision.

If you experience dark or shadowy spots in your central or peripheral vision, you should be evaluated by an eye doctor as soon as possible. Not only do these spots compromise your visual acuity, they also may indicate a problem like glaucoma or macular degeneration.

You have diabetes.

Diabetes can affect the eyes in different ways, and the risk of related eye problems increases the longer you have the disease and the less controlled it is. Diabetes can raise your risk of developing cataracts and glaucoma and it can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, in turn leading to diabetic retinopathy or other problems.

You have trouble with your night vision.

If your night vision is poor, you see glare halos around lights, or have trouble distinguishing objects, you should talk to an eye doctor. You could be experiencing the early signs of cataracts.

You’re experiencing floaters or flashes of light.

Floaters or flashes of light are normally harmless. But in some circumstances, they can indicate something more serious happening inside your eyes, like a problem with your retina that needs to be checked out.

Your eyes feel fatigued or strained after using digital devices for an extended period of time.

If you spend a lot of time using a computer, tablet, smartphone or other digital device, and you experience frequent eye strain or fatigue, you could have a condition that eye doctors refer to as computer vision syndrome. You should be screened by a doctor, who can recommend small tweaks to help relieve strain or fatigue.

You are experiencing sensitivity to light.

If you have suddenly developed a sensitivity to light, a doctor should assess your eyes to identify the likely cause.