How can your family benefit from seeing an optometrist regularly?

Even if you have perfect sight, it is important for you and your family to have routine eye exams. Whether you are 5 or 95, there are many benefits to seeing an optometrist regularly.

Our priority at OJO Eye Care is to provide our patients in Ogden and the surrounding communities with clear vision and healthy eyes. This is only possible through regular eye exams, which can detect several conditions that vary by age:

• Age 0-10: For infants and young children, eye exams allow us to check for age-appropriate vision, proper eye movement and alignment, good depth perception, normal color vision, and signs of potential ocular or systemic diseases.

• Age 10-18: Children and teenagers grow quickly, making it imperative to monitor their eyesight for change and update their glasses (or contacts) appropriately. For nearsighted children in particular, it is important to monitor their progression over time as high prescriptions at a young age results in an increased risk of certain eye diseases later in life. Appropriate intervention and treatment can be beneficial if caught early enough.

• Age 18-35: Young adults benefit from regular eye exams not only to update their glasses and contact prescriptions, but also to monitor for any signs of developing eye diseases or underlying systemic diseases. Due to the increase in digital device use, regular eye exams can help us catch and treat digital eye strain before it becomes problematic. Additionally, at this age, prescriptions tend to stabilize, making this the most common time for refractive surgery, such as LASIK or PRK.

• Age 35-50: As we age, the structures inside of our eyes begin to naturally change, making it harder to see up close. Around age 40 is when we start requiring reading glasses, bifocal glasses or multifocal contact lenses in order to be able to see near objects clearly. The power required for this typically changes each year, making annual eye exams important for maintaining good vision.

• Age 50+: Older adults are at higher risk for developing certain eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration. Unfortunately, many eye diseases do not have any symptoms until they are advanced enough to cause permanent vision loss. This is why it is imperative to have regular eye exams, so we can perform any additional testing or ophthalmology referrals as necessary. At OJO Eye Care, we are proud to offer state of the art imaging called Optical Coherence Topography (OCT) that allows us to detect and manage certain diseases sooner and more accurately than ever before.
   

Overall, comprehensive eye exams are essential at all ages, not only for prescribing updated glasses and contact lens prescriptions for clear vision, but also to detect, prevent and treat various ocular and systemic diseases. If you or a family member haven’t had an eye exam within the past year or so, please contact us today to schedule an appointment!