When should I go for an eye exam? Should I have regular eye exams?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by an eye doctor - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital
Regular eye exams are necessary to help you protect your vision. Vision test results can screen for an early and timely detection of potential vision problems, thereby providing the most appropriate treatment.

1. When to get an eye exam?

Eye exams are usually done after a problem has been detected from routine eye exams or when the patient has some abnormality in the eye.
Some of the following signs indicate that your eyes need to be checked:
1.1 Blurred vision If within 10 steps, your eyes cannot see clearly or you cannot read words clearly at close range, There is a high chance that the eyes have refractive errors such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. Astigmatism can sometimes be - three common conditions that involve curvature of the lens and cornea.
In case of slightly blurred vision, you should stop the current work and rest, keep your eyes hydrated. However, if your vision does not improve after several days, you should schedule a vision test and a more detailed eye exam.
1.2 Difficulty seeing at night If your vision becomes cloudy and impaired at night, this is a worrisome sign of a dangerous eye disease: early cataracts. Please perform the examination as soon as possible to have timely treatment measures.
1.3 Sensitivity to light If looking at light from the dark is uncomfortable and it takes a long time to adjust to this change, this is likely because the iris muscles are showing signs of pain. weakening elasticity. The above sensitivity may be due to age or may also be due to vision problems.

1.4 Eye pain, eye fatigue The eye activity time suddenly decreased drastically. For example, in the past, you could watch a computer or read a book continuously for about 1 hour, but now you can only maintain reading for about 20 minutes and your eyes are tired. Along with that, to focus on seeing, you need to frequently squint or blink continuously...
The above problems often occur in subjects who have to work with their eyes for a long time, causing eye strain. . Therefore, you can rest, avoid too bright light shining into your eyes as well as make sure to drink enough 1.5 liters of water per day to avoid eye strain.
However, if your eye pain persists and becomes more frequent, you need to see an eye doctor for specific tests.
1.5 Frequent headaches Sometimes, the mechanisms that help the cornea focus on images force the muscles in the eye to work harder. The result of this is eye strain, along with a headache.
1.6 Double vision Double vision can be a serious sign of eye diseases, especially in the cornea. At the same time, double vision is also a manifestation of cataracts. Therefore, you need to have an eye exam done right away.

1.7 Wavy vision Do objects around you suddenly appear to be underwater, lines are distorted and colors fade from reality? This is the most obvious sign of macular degeneration – a concentrated degeneration of the retina and a leading cause of vision loss, even blindness.
1.8 There is pressure from behind the eye This is a sign of glaucoma. This pressure buildup can damage the optic nerve that transmits images to the brain. Therefore, get your eyes checked in this case.
1.9 Seeing halos around objects This phenomenon signals the development of cataracts. Halos tend to be more pronounced for objects in dark areas.

2. Importance of regular eye exams

A routine eye exam is quite simple and happens once a year (maybe less). This test can assist with vision testing, thereby changing lenses to suit the eyes. In addition, certain eye diseases will also be screened.
Eye diseases are very diverse but the manifestations are relatively mild in the early stages, very few patients realize these signs. Therefore, routine eye examination is an important process to detect eye abnormalities early, thereby allowing doctors to have suspicions and perform specific tests to make a correct diagnosis. sick body.

3. How often should a routine eye exam be done?

In adults or children, it is necessary to maintain a regular schedule of eye exams to ensure the health of the eyes:
For children under 5 years old: Amblyopia, strabismus, amblyopia, myopia, astigmatism congenital... needs to be checked regularly. In addition, some screenings will also be conducted to prevent the risk of rare eye diseases in children such as cataracts, eye tumors... Children from 6 to 17 years old: Every year should be checked. Periodic eye examination 2 times, if the child has a refractive error such as astigmatism, it is necessary to measure the glasses to get the appropriate degree. Adults 18 years of age and older: should have their eyes checked at least once a year. The eyes are the "window to the soul", so when you have a history of eye diseases or have unusual physical signs, you should go to a medical facility for examination and advice. timely treatment.
If you are experiencing vision problems, go to a medical facility immediately to be examined and treated by doctors as soon as possible. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has vision-related service packages such as:
Refractive error screening package Cataract surgery consultation and examination package Ortho-K package All questions need to be asked by a doctor Answering specialists as well as customers wishing to examine and treat at Vinmec International General Hospital, please book an appointment on the website for the best service.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.