Do You Need an Annual Eye Exam?
December is the month when many people are thinking about gifts they want to give for Christmas or Hanukah. December also is Give the Gift of Sight Month, a national observance that raises awareness about eye health and encourages people to protect their vision.
“Annual eye exams can help prevent vision loss by providing for early interventions,” said Morgon C. Von Schmidt, OD, an optometrist at Penn Highlands Eye Center. “In addition to identifying vision problems, eye exams can detect diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. They can help spot other health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 11 million Americans over the age of 12 require vision correction.
How often are eye exams necessary?
Regular eye exams are necessary because even though you may think your vision is good, there may be other issues. For eye exams, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the guidelines below.
- Children's eyes should be checked regularly by an eye doctor or pediatrician. They should have at least one eye exam between age 3 and 5 years to detect amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye,” or risk factors for it.
- People with diabetes should have a dilated eye exam every year.
- Some people are at higher risk for glaucoma and should have a dilated eye exam every two years including black Americans 40 years and older; adults older than 60; and people with a family history of glaucoma.
Should I see an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
An optometrist, or doctor of optometry (OD), is an eye care professional who examines, diagnoses and treats diseases and conditions of the eye. An ophthalmologist is either a medical doctor (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) who has specialized training that enables them to address advanced eye conditions and perform surgery. For a routine eye exam, you may want to begin with an optometrist.
What services does an optometrist offer?
Optometrists provide the following services:
- Perform eye exams including diabetic eye examinations
- Conduct vision tests
- Prescribe and fit corrective lenses including eye glasses and contact lenses
- Remove foreign objects from the eye
- Manage and treat eye conditions including but not limited to glaucoma, macular degeneration and dry eye
- Provide eye health education
If you are due for an annual eye exam, The Penn Highlands Eye Center has locations in Brookville, Clearfield, DuBois and St. Marys. The clinics are staffed by highly experienced optometrists who provide care to people of all ages. For more information, visit www.phhealthcare.org/eyeexam.