Four reasons why you should keep up-to-date with a yearly eye test

You’re no doubt well aware of the maintenance tasks that need to be regularly carried out to ensure that your body feels healthy and remains looking in good condition. Regular exercise, dental check-ups every six months or so, and yearly physicals are some of the things you should keep abreast of. However, what about keeping your eyes healthy? You might believe that a regular eye test is only required if you have an eye condition or wear prescription glasses, but in fact, the opposite is the case. Here are four reasons why you should keep up-to-date with a yearly eye test.

1. Protect your vision

First and foremost, by getting your eyes checked regularly, you are helping to protect your vision by identifying problems early on. Your eyes are very precious, and you only get one pair to last you a lifetime, so it is important that you look after them. Though you may be lucky enough to have 20-20 vision, you should still have a yearly eye test to assess any changes to your vision that may need correcting with glasses or further investigation, particularly as you grow older. If left untreated, such vision changes can quickly deteriorate, giving you long-lasting vision problems.

2. Check your contact lenses

If you wear contacts, it is doubly important that you attend an annual check-up to ensure that your lenses are suiting you and to identify any problems that may have arisen. Wearing contact lenses carries some risk, so it is essential that they are regularly tested to ensure that you are wearing the right type for your eyes. For instance, your lenses might be slightly drying, which could lead to irritated and uncomfortable eyes. Or, you may find it difficult to keep monthly lenses clean due to your tears being overly greasy, in which case, daily UV protection contact lenses might be a better option for you. Your optician will be able to identify such issues and provide you with recommendations and alternatives.

3. Quickly identify symptomless conditions

You might be able to tell immediately when you are experiencing vision problems, with symptoms such as blurred vision, migraines, and a sensitivity to light. However, there are certain conditions that are relatively painless and symptomless in their early stages. For example, cataracts, a common eye condition in older people, develop at a slow pace. You might only experience symptoms of misted vision and haloes of light several months or even years after the condition has first formulated.

4. Choose stylish frames

Long gone are the days of ugly prescription glasses – rather, your glasses are now seen as a style statement that enhances rather than obscures your natural beauty. There are a huge number of frame styles to choose from to suit your taste and face. Most opticians will allow you to try frames on after your eye test so that you can decide which one will suit you best before purchasing.