Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
Round beauty face logo

Call Us Today

US

(480) 889-6044

[email protected]

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • Insurance & Payments
    • Ocular Emergencies
  • Eyecare Services
    • Eye & Vision Exams
    • Contact Lens Exams
    • HD Refractions
    • Our Surgeons
    • Lasik Eye Surgery
  • Frame Selection
  • Payment Options
  • About Us
    • Meet The Optometrist
    • Meet The Staff
  • Contact Us / Hours
  • Yelp Reviews
  • Google Reviews
  • Community Content
    • Common Eye Conditions
      • Age-Related
      • Cognitive and Acquired
      • Vision Impairment
      • Injury & Irritation
      • Eye Lids
      • Changes in Appearance
    • Contact Lenses
    • Eye Diseases
    • Eyeglasses
      • Eyeglass Lenses
    • Eye Symptoms
    • How the Eyes Work
      • Basic Visual Skills
    • Pediatric Vision
    • Protecting Your Eyes
    • Visual Rehabilitation
    • Vision Problems
    • What is Vision Therapy
    • Vision Therapy Programs
    • We Can Help With
      • Cataracts
      • Corneal Disorders
        • Disorders
      • Glaucoma
      • Refractive Disorders
      • Adult Strabismus
      • Retinal Disorders
    • Newsletters
      • Glasses & Frames
      • Contacts
      • Tips for Healthy Eyes
      • Conditions That Affect Vision
      • Kid's Vision
      • Amazing, Interesting Eyes
      • Medical Perspectives
  • Blog
  • Locations
  • Covid 19 Policy
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletters >
  • March Newsletter: Is Your Prescription Up to Date? What You Need to Know about When and Why You should See Your Optometrist

March Newsletter: Is Your Prescription Up to Date? What You Need to Know about When and Why You should See Your Optometrist

  • Created in Newsletters

Woman puts glasses on the camera

Is Your Prescription Up-to-Date? What You Need to Know About When and Why You Should See Your Optometrist

Walking out of the optometrist's office with a new pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses is literally an eye-opening experience. The world around you no longer looks fuzzy, and the words on your digital screens suddenly become crisp and clear. Like many people, you may have waited longer than necessary to see the eye doctor in the past. So how often should you pay a visit to the optometrist?

When to Schedule a Vision Checkup

The American Optometric Association offers several age-related recommendations for eye exams, including:

  • Once at 6 to 12 Months of Age
  • At Least One Exam Between Ages 3 - 5
  • Just Before Starting First Grade
  • Every Year Between 6 - 17
  • Every Two Years for People 18 - 64
  • Every Year for People 65 and Older

Keep in mind that these are just general recommendations. You may need to see the optometrist more often due to:

  • Blurry Vision. If things start to look a little blurry, don't wait for your next checkup to see the eye doctor. Although your eyesight usually becomes more stable when you're an adult, you may still experience vision changes that happen well before your next regular eye exam. Prescription changes are particularly common in children. In fact, your son or daughter's vision may change more than once during some years.
  • Pain or Sudden Vision Issues. If your eye hurts or you notice a sudden change in your vision, let your eye doctor know. Call your optometrist immediately or go to the emergency room if your vision suddenly becomes blurry, your eye is extremely painful, or you notice dark or blank spots in your vision. If you have a serious eye condition or disease, such as a detached retina or angle-closure glaucoma, prompt treatment will help protect your eyesight.
  • An Eye Injury. Don't wait to see if your eye gets better on its own. Call your eye doctor and ask if you need to be seen if you've poked, punctured, or cut your eye, or came in contact with chemicals. Delaying treatment could result in partial or complete vision loss in some cases.
  • A Dwindling Supply of Contact Lenses or A Desire for New Eyeglasses. Prescriptions for eyeglasses and contact lenses are only good for one year. If you're running low on contacts, or you'd like to try a new frame style, you'll need to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.
  • Eye Disease. Your eye doctor may need to see you more frequently if you have an eye disease, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or macular degeneration,
  • A Family History of Eye Disease. If others in your family have an eye disease, you may be at increased risk for developing the same disease. Regular eye exams make it possible to detect early changes and start treatment as soon as possible.

Other Reasons to See the Eye Doctor

You may also need to visit the optometrist if you:

  • Find It Hard to Read the Small Print. After age 40, most people develop presbyopia, an age-related refractive error that makes it difficult to see close objects clearly. Presbyopia happens when the lens in your eye becomes less flexible and can't adjust as quickly when you shift your focus from far to near objects. Fortunately, reading glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery like LASIK will help you see clearly once again.
  • Participate in Sports. Sports goggles protect your eyes from injury when playing sports or swimming. If you normally wear corrective lenses, ask your eye doctor about fitting you with a pair of prescription goggles. In addition to providing clear vision, prescription goggles are shatterproof and can be tinted to reduce glare or enhance contrast.
  • Use Computers. Eyestrain, a common complaint among people who use digital devices, causes blurred vision, dry eyes, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain. According to a Vision Council survey, almost 60% percent of American report at least one symptom of digital eyestrain. If eyestrain is a problem for you, wearing computer glasses can be helpful. The glasses provide clear vision at the optimal viewing distance for your screen and reduce glare and blue light transmission.

Do you need to pay a visit to the optometrist? Call us to schedule a convenient appointment.

Sources:

American Optometric Association: Comprehensive Eye Exams

https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/eye-exams?sso=y

Vision Council: Vision Council Shines Light on Protecting Sight – And Health – in a Multi-Screen Era, 1/7/2019

https://thevisioncouncil.org/blog/vision-council-shines-light-protecting-sight-and-health-multi-screen-era

All About Vision: Questions to Ask Your Eye Doctor, 1/21

https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/ask-my-eye-doctor/

American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Is Presbyopia?, 1/7/2019

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia

  • Common Eye Conditions
    • Age-Related
    • Cognitive and Acquired
    • Vision Impairment
    • Injury & Irritation
    • Eye Lids
    • Changes in Appearance
  • Contact Lenses
  • Eye Diseases
  • Eyeglasses
    • Eyeglass Lenses
  • Eye Symptoms
  • How the Eyes Work
    • Basic Visual Skills
  • Pediatric Vision
  • Protecting Your Eyes
  • Visual Rehabilitation
  • Vision Problems
  • What is Vision Therapy
  • Vision Therapy Programs
  • We Can Help With
    • Cataracts
    • Corneal Disorders
      • Disorders
    • Glaucoma
    • Refractive Disorders
    • Adult Strabismus
    • Retinal Disorders
  • Newsletters
    • Glasses & Frames
    • Contacts
    • Tips for Healthy Eyes
    • Conditions That Affect Vision
    • Kid's Vision
    • Amazing, Interesting Eyes
    • Medical Perspectives
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.
  • Call For An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!
  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients/ learn more about all the services we provide.

Office Hours

Monday:

Closed

Tuesday:

9:00 am-3:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

12:00 pm-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Office Hours

Testimonial

  • "Dr. O'Daniel is wonderful! After visiting 2 other doctors regarding problems with my eyes, I decided to visit Dr. O'Daniel who has finally given me a plan to make my eyes feel better and after months of pouring money down the drain and agony, they do! He really took the time to sit with me during my appointment and helped me to understand what was going on with my eyes. He knows his stuff and he is now my official eye doctor!"
    Michelle L / Phoenix, AZ
  • March Newsletter: Are Your Eyes Getting Enough Vitamin D?

    Not getting enough of a key vitamin might increase your risk of several eye diseases. ...

    Read More
  • March Newsletter: Is Your Prescription Up to Date? What You Need to Know about When and Why You should See Your Optometrist

    Not sure when you need to see the eye doctor? ...

    Read More
  • Saccadic Fixators

    This entails a wall-mounted square board with a starburst design. Along the various striations of the starburst are lighted buttons. As the buttons light up, the patient works quickly to see how many of these lit buttons they can push before they go out. The key is to keep the head still. Peripheral ...

    Read More
  • Patches

    Eye patches are used to strengthen muscle control in weak eyes. By placing a patch over the strong eye, the weaker eye is forced to do the heavy lifting. While it may be uncomfortable for the patient at first, the muscle controlling the weaker eye will become tougher and more resilient. This will allow ...

    Read More
  • Rotation Trainers

    Rotation trainers consist of a disk – with various designs – that is attached to a rod-like base. As the disk rotates, the patient is asked to perform tasks that are designed to test and enhance eye-hand coordination, space awareness, perceptual awareness and visual acuity. ...

    Read More
  • Computer Software

    Computer aided vision therapy consists of a software package designed to enhance eye tracking skills, visual thinking, processing skills and binocular vision skills. Eye teaming, focusing and tracking are not optical in nature, and problems in these areas are the result of poor eye muscles. Specialized ...

    Read More
  • Prisms

    A prism has the same cross-section across the entire length of its shape. When used in eyeglasses, they often correct abnormalities associated with nearsightedness, farsightedness and double vision. Eyeglasses, or corrective lenses, reduce or increase the size of the image based on the eyes’ ability ...

    Read More
  • February Newsletter: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month

    Do you know how age-related macular degeneration could affect your vision? ...

    Read More
  • February Newsletter: Why Dry Eye Is So Difficult to Treat

    Are dry eyes a frequent problem? Try these tips. ...

    Read More
  • January Newsletter: How to Tell if You Have Macular Degeneration

    Do you know the symptoms that may mean you have macular degeneration? ...

    Read More

Newsletter Sign Up

Social Media

Follow Us

  • Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • ACA Notices