Optometrists specialize in primary and preventative eye care. In addition to examining your eyes for glasses and contact lenses, we evaluate the health of your eyes by checking for glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic eye problems and other eye diseases. An important part of your examination is the evaluation of the retina which is the tissue lining the inside of the eye. We do this ideally by dilating your eyes with drops. For those who cannot be dilated on the day of their exam, we can screen your eyes with the Optomap Retinal Scan which is essentially a wide field camera that gives us an overall view of your retina.
Routine eye exams are an important part of your preventative health care. How often you need to have your eyes examined depends on your age, medical and family history, and environmental factors. Below are general guidelines:
- First eye exam between 6-12 months with a pediatric eye specialist
- Age 3
- Before Kindergarten
- School Age (6-18 yrs)- exams every 1-2 years depending on diagnosis and history
- 18-40 yrs- exams every 1-2 years depending on diagnosis and history
- 40-60 yrs- every 1-2 years depending on diagnosis and history
- 60+ annually or more often depending on diagnosis and history
- Contact lens wearers at any age need annual eye exams
- Diabetics, of any age, need annual eye exams