How often should I have my eyes tested?
20th June 2022
Authored by TK&S Optometrists
One of the most asked questions of any optometrists is ‘how often should I have my eyes tested?’.
Well, the short answer is every two years, but it’s not quite as straight forward as that.
Here at TK&S we don’t like the phrase ‘eye test’. That’s not what we do. What we provide is a ‘comprehensive eye examination’ – a thorough MOT of your vision and eye health.
Different people require different elements of that examination so our team will provide a bespoke service, fully tailored to your individual requirements. Likewise, some people will benefit from having their eyes examined more regularly. There is simply no ‘one size fits all’ approach to eye health.
Even if you don’t wear glasses or contact lenses it remains important to have your eyes examined every two years. While you may be one of the lucky ones to not be having to contend with eye health issues right now, a regular check-up can detect any underlying problems at an early stage and pick-up any slight changes to your vision.
Conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration can all be detected during a comprehensive eye examination. The sooner they are spotted, the sooner they can be treated. The sooner they are treated, the more effective that treatment can be.
If you are over 70 or have a history of eye problems, we recommend we see you at least every 12 months.
Your eyes are a window into your general health and wellbeing. It’s not just your vision we check. Our comprehensive eye examination can detect a wide range of other medical problems, including diabetes and high blood pressure. You can rest assured that if we spot anything we will refer you immediately to your GP, ensuring you get the treatment you need at the earliest possible opportunity. Our intervention has saved lives.
Eye health in children is particularly important and we recommend that anyone under the age of 16 has their eyes examined every year. This helps us to diagnose potential problems at an early stage and improve your chances of enjoying optimal vision in the future.
Optometrists also recommend that children under 16 have their eyestested annually. This is to help diagnose problems (if any) early. The sooner problems are detected the greater the chance of developing optimal vision.
Your optometrist may recommend that you have eye tests more frequently, if for example, you have a history of eye problems. Optometrists also recommend that people over 70 years should have their eyes tested once a year.
So – that question once more. ‘How often should I have a comprehensive eye examination at Tompkins, Knight & Son Optometrists? (That’s more like it!)
- Children under the age of 16 should see us once a year.
- Adults over 70. And those with a history of eye problems should see us at least once a year.
- All other adults should see us once every two years.
You can find out more about what is included with all our eye examinations at https://www.tks-optometrists.co.uk/eye-examinations/
If you would like to book in for a comprehensive eye examination, please call the practice or book an appointment online at https://www.tks-optometrists.co.uk/book-an-appointment/