For whatever reason, it feels as if we (the universal we) don’t put enough of an importance on getting our eyes tested on a regular basis. I should know: It’s been at least six years since my previous examination and I’ve actually been thinking about getting them looked at these past few weeks. And in thinking about that, I realized that others will benefit from the research I have done lately in regards to finding out how often I should get my eyes checked, why I should do it, and where I can get it done. Hopefully the facts I have gathered from these trusted resources will assist you in your own personal eyesight endeavours.
When Should My Eyes Be Examined?
The answer to this question really all depends on your personal health, particularly that of your eyes. But according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, it’s advised that you should get your eyes examined every two years or so. Other sites that I found stated that you could go three to five years, with that time fluctuating based on your age.
However, the National Health Service advises that you may need to take part in them more frequently if you are a child wearing glasses, suffer from diabetes, are at least 40 years of age and have a family history of glaucoma, or if you’re over the age of 70. Should you find yourself in any of those categories, you can actually do the eye exams by yourself or with the help of a friend or family member. Just head over to Acuvue, where you can find several at-home tests and/or schedule one with a nearby optometrist (and, perhaps later, an optician). You’ll also be able to read up on a variety of other topics, including whether or not you’ll want to make the switch to contacts if you’re getting tired of your eyeglasses.
But Why Should They Be Examined?
As for this question, the answer is simple: You want to keep up with your eyes’ health to catch anything early on and/or find out if you need an eyeglasses or contacts prescription/update. Not only that, but you’ll find that your eyes won’t exactly hurt when something is wrong. What this means is that you may have some more significant issues going on that you wouldn’t know about without a proper examination. These include macular degeneration of the eyes, glaucoma, and even diabetes.
But what these exams really give you is peace of mind, especially after you learn just how important they are. As the old adage goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so make sure that you’re getting your eyes tested at least every two yearsβa bit of advice I know that I need to be taking in my own life.
So Where Can I Go?
If you already have glasses or contact lenses, you know the answer to this question: your personal optometrist. But if you have moved and/or haven’t been to an eye doctor in a while, you can start by searching for a local service that can at least get the process started. As mentioned earlier, Acuvue can also help with this task while providing insight into other areas of eyesight care.
Here’s the bottom line: Get your eyes checked on a regularly basis. This may seem like an additional errand that you don’t feel like adding to your to-do list, but it’s pertinent for your health that you do so. And once you get in the habit of it happening every two years or so, you’ll realize how easy (and painless!) it is.
I went for an eye test just before Christmas, as I’ve been having terrible twitching in all four of my eyelids that worsened and became more frequent over the last previous six months. Turns out my left eye has been compensating for my right for quite some time, as my left-eye vision is five times better than the right. So now I’m wearing my brand new, first time specs whenever I’m at the computer, which is pretty much hours every day, and I’ve realised the twitching’s stopped too. I’ll reserve definitive judgement on that for a few more weeks yet, but so far I feel it’s been totally worth it. And apparently I look good in glasses too. Who knew?
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