Regular eye exams at any age can help you maintain good vision and detect eye problems early.

Why is a regular eye test important?

Eye diseases are common and can go undetected for a long time – some don’t even show symptoms at first.

A regular eye test will not only let you know if you need a new pair of glasses, contact lenses or a change in prescription, but it is also important to monitor your eye health.

A comprehensive eye examination by a qualified optometrist is necessary to detect eye disease in its early stages, when treatment to prevent vision loss is most effective. During the examination, your visual acuity (sharpness), depth perception, eye alignment and eye movements are tested.

Early treatment is crucial to prevent some common eye diseases from causing blurred vision or permanent vision loss:

• Cataract
• Diabetic retinopathy (causes damage to the blood vessels in the back of the eye)
• Glaucoma (a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve)
• Age-related macular degeneration (progressive degradation of the light-sensitive tissues of the eye)

During a thorough eye examination, an optometrist may also notice symptoms of some of the more serious health problems that affect the eyes, such as diabetes and hypertension, lupus, high cholesterol, sometimes even before your general practitioner. Treating these conditions promptly is important for your overall health and for your vision.

Optometrists can also detect tumors, and new research shows that they can detect the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

With regular eye exams, you can detect these problems earlier and avoid serious complications.

What is the recommended frequency of eye exams?

If you have no symptoms or vision problems, doctors recommend regular eye exams depending on your age:

• 20 to 39 years: every 5 years
• 40 to 54 years: every 2 to 4 years
• 55 to 64 years: every 1 to 3 years
• From age 65: each year

Our expert optometrists at Lindegger Optique advise you to have your eyes examined more often if :

• You wear glasses or contact lenses
• You have a genetic history of eye disease or progressive vision loss
• You often experience eye fatigue or dry eyes
• You have a chronic disease that puts you at increased risk for eye disease, such as diabetes
• You are taking medications that have serious side effects on the eyes

It is also recommended that people who work constantly in front of a computer screen have their eyes examined more often than once every two years.

Eye exams for children and adolescents

Your child’s eyes are special!

Children’s eye exams are very important to ensure that your child’s eyes are healthy and that he or she does not have vision problems that could affect school performance and safety.

According to experts, more than 80% of the information children receive and remember in the classroom is presented visually.

Children are usually due for their first eye exam at 6 months of age. For children under age 3, your pediatrician will probably look for the most common eye problems – lazy eye, crossed eyes or misaligned eyes. If there are any vision problems or symptoms, an examination is recommended at this time, regardless of the child’s age.

Your child may have a more comprehensive eye exam between the ages of 3 and 5 and again at the beginning of school.

Young children between the ages of 6 and 19 should then continue to have their eyes examined every two years.

If your child has no symptoms of vision problems and no family history of vision problems, have an eye exam every 1-2 years.

Children and teenagers who need glasses or contact lenses should be examined annually or as recommended by your eye doctor.

The qualified optometrists at Lindegger Optique offer you thorough eye tests.

Do you have any questions? Contact our team at Lindegger Optique Rive, Geneva, we will be happy to answer you.