When was your last vision exam?

You get once-yearly health checks and dental cleanings every six months. But when was the last time you had your eyes checked? Many people put off regular eye exams because they are busy or think it’s an unnecessary cost. But yearly eye exams can help detect and treat a number of serious eye conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic eye disease. Many problems with eyes provide no early warning signs or symptoms, and can only be detected through a comprehensive eye exam. You may not realize that eye exams also can help detect health conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and even high blood pressure.

According to the American Optometric Association, infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age. Children should receive eye exams when they turn 3 and right before they start attending kindergarten. Annual eye exams are always a good idea for children, especially those who wear glasses or contact lenses.

For adults ages 18 to 60, health experts recommend getting an eye exam at least every two years. Seniors 61 and older should get annual eye exams due to higher risk factors for eye disease, including the most common one, age-related macular degeneration.