Signs You Need An Eye Exam

There are several reasons for individuals to get their eyes tested regularly. Individuals at different ages are recommended to get eye exams at different intervals. Throughout childhood, doctors and school nurses test children's eyes frequently to determine whether their eyesight is developing properly. Once individuals reach adulthood, the recommendation is to get an eye examination every two to three years. This frequency often increases for patients who wear glasses or work a job that deteriorates their vision, such as staring at a screen all day. As individuals get older, it's recommended for them to receive eye exams more frequently, with patients over sixty-five years old told to get an exam every six months.

Whether an individual is overdue for a checkup or not, however, there are some warning signs they should be aware of, as they will indicate an eye exam is needed, regardless of when the patient's last one was. Get to know these signs now.

Chronic Eye Fatigue

Chronic eye fatigue is one of the most common signs of an eye issue. Several things can lead to eye strain and fatigue, which means nearly everyone experiences these feelings once in a while. Eye strain occurs when individuals spend a lot of time looking at a computer screen or reading a book, especially if the text is small. The harder individuals try to focus, the more tired their eyes are going to get. It's also common for an individual's eyes to feel tired when they've been awake for a while or haven't gotten enough sleep. Doctors consider eye fatigue chronic when it persists for at least three days, especially if patients don't have a known underlying cause. Persistent eye fatigue can indicate individuals have an eye infection or there's another condition making them tired. On top of this, patients should schedule an eye exam if their eyes hurt when they move them in certain directions.

Keep reading to uncover more warning signs an eye exam is necessary now.

Difficulty Focusing

The lens of an individual's eyes curves to focus on objects. By adjusting the amount of light that's hitting their retina, individuals can focus on things both near and far away from them. However, the majority of individuals have an imperfectly shaped cornea. This means the light is focused directly in front of or behind the retina instead of on it, which leads to blurring. If patients are experiencing sudden difficulty focusing or blurring in their vision, they should schedule an eye exam. Some individuals have inconsistent problems with focus, and rather than everything being blurry, patients might notice they only have vision issues when they try to look at details in certain objects. Another example would be individuals who have trouble focusing on objects in light, but don't struggle at night, or individuals who have focus issues that seem to move between eyes. Even if the problems don't impair a patient's day-to-day life, they should still schedule an exam to rule out potentially serious eye issues.

Discover additional signs individuals need an eye exam now.