Ideally, one eye exam every year should help you stay on top of your eye health, but some people might need to schedule more than one eye exam in a year. Vision can change quite a bit over the course of a year, especially for those over the age of 50, and it is important to know when you need to schedule an exam. Here are 8 signs that you should get another exam on the calendar soon:
- Your eyes are red, dry, itchy or you are seeing spots, flashes of light, or floaters.
- You have diabetes or another health condition that affects your eyes. Also, if you have a family history of conditions like diabetes or glaucoma you may need exams more often, especially as you move into your 50s and beyond.
- You can’t remember when you last had an eye exam. If it’s been longer than a year, you’re overdue.
- You have difficulty driving at night and seeing street signs in the dark.
- You experience eye strain, headaches and/or blurred vision after spending an extended amount of time in front of a computer screen.
- You get motion sick, dizzy, or have trouble following a moving target.
- You hold books or the newspaper further away from your face and squint or close one eye to read them clearly.
- You notice any changes in your vision, especially after an incident of head trauma.
Don’t wait until you experience any of these 8 things before you schedule an eye exam. Keep in mind that an eye exam benefits more than just your eyes. Your eye doctor can detect a wide range of diseases like diabetes and cancer just by looking at your eyes.