Once reaching the age of 65, you need eye exams every one or two years and more often if you have eye problems.
What’s the Risk?
- Vision loss usually happens gradually and painless, therefore putting off eye visits increases the risk of undetected eye conditions, eye damage, and vision loss, especially from glaucoma
- With delayed eye care, they are seeing more severe cases of glaucoma and advanced vision loss
- Sometimes your eye pressure can change quickly and cause damage to your vision
- An eye stroke
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Age-related macular degeneration
Symptoms and Intervention
- Blind spots in your peripheral or central vision
- Severe light sensitivity
- Severe pain in the eye or forehead
- Blurred or reduced vision
- Temporary vision loss
- Eye redness
- Halos around lights
- Spots or cobwebs in your field of vision
Check your eyes one eye at a time and if you have symptoms in only one, then that is a sign of a problem. Don’t wait until symptoms occur to see your eye doctor, make sure to schedule regular eye appointments.
Source: Harvard Health