phone Book Now
phone Book Now
Rockyview Health Centre, 1011 Glenmore Trail SW Building #1 Suite 423, Calgary, AB T2V 4R6, Canada
587-353-5061 Book Appointment

How Often Should You Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

How Often Should You Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

You should get your eyes checked every one to two years if you are healthy. If you wear glasses or contacts, or if you have health problems like diabetes, you need to go more often. Getting your eyes checked regularly is important because changes can happen without you noticing. Many serious health problems show up in your eyes first, before you feel anything wrong.

Why Getting Your Eyes Checked is Important

Many people think eye exams are just for getting new glasses. This is not correct. When you get a real eye checkup, your doctor can find signs of big health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and even some cancers. They can catch these problems early, when treatment works best.

Your eyes tell a story about your health. A good doctor can read that story. When you look for comprehensive eye exams in Calgary or near your home, you’re making a smart choice for your whole body, not just your eyes.

During a checkup, the doctor tests how well you see. They also check how much pressure is inside your eyes. They look at the back of your eyes with special lights and tools. They ask you questions about your health too.

Who Needs Eye Exams and How Often?

Babies and Little Kids

Babies should have their first eye check between 6 and 12 months old. Young children from 3 to 5 years old should get checked before they start school.

Kids in school need an eye exam every year. This is very important because good vision helps them learn better. If a child can’t see the board clearly, school becomes much harder.

Teenagers and Young Adults

Teenagers and young adults who don’t have eye problems can wait two years between exams. But if they wear glasses or contacts, they should go once a year.

Adults in the Middle Years

Healthy adults from 20 to 60 years old can usually wait one to two years between comprehensive eye exams near you. But this changes if you have health problems or wear glasses.

Older Adults

Those over 60 years old should consider a yearly eye examination at an eye clinic near you. As you age, your eyes change. Eye disorders are becoming common. Having regular check-ups can help diagnose problems early on.

Health Problems That Mean More Eye Visits

If you have certain health conditions, you need to see an optometrist in Calgary or your eye doctor more often.

  • Diabetes – This is very important. Diabetes can hurt your eyes. People with diabetes should get checked every three to six months.
  • High Blood Pressure – This can also affect your eyes. People with high blood pressure should get checked one or two times a year.
  • Eye Disease – If you already have a problem with your eyes, you need more visits. You might go every three to six months.
  • Family History of Glaucoma – If someone in your family had glaucoma, you might get it too. You should get checked every one to two years.
  • Recent Eye Surgery – After eye surgery, you need follow-up visits to make sure everything is healing properly.
  • If you have any of these conditions, talk to your doctor. They will tell you how often you should come back.

People Who Wear Glasses or Contacts

If you wear glasses, you might need to see your eye doctor once a year. If you wear contact lenses, you definitely need to go once a year. Contact lenses can cause problems if they don’t fit right. Your doctor needs to check that they are fitting properly and not hurting your eyes.

What You Should Know About Eye Exams

Who You Are How Often
Healthy children (3-5 years) Every 1-2 years
Children in school Every 1-2 years
Healthy young adults Every 1-2 years
Healthy adults (20-60 years) Every 1-2 years
Adults with health problems Every 6-12 months
Adults over 60 years Every 1-2 years, or once a year
People who wear contacts Once a year
People with eye disease Every 3-6 months

What Your Eyes Tell Your Doctor

Your eyes are like a window into your body. A good eye doctor can see a lot of things during an exam. They might see signs of a stroke, heart disease, or even a brain tumour. Finding these problems early can save your life.

Eye exams also help catch diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. These are diseases that can make you lose your eyesight. But if your doctor catches them early, treatment works much better.

Benefits of regular comprehensive eye exams include:

  • Detecting health issues early—before you feel unwell.
  • Avoiding blindness—Protection of eyesight.
  • Getting the right glasses or contacts – so you see clearly.
  • Detecting eye diseases– before the harm is done.
  • Ensuring your overall well-being– a key to success.

What Happens During Your Eye Exam

When you go for your exam, bring your glasses or contacts if you wear them. Bring your health insurance card too. The visit usually takes 30 minutes to one hour.

Your doctor will ask you questions about your health. They will test how well you see. Some tests are simple. Some might feel a little strange.

One test uses a puff of air to check the pressure inside your eye. This doesn’t hurt, but it might surprise you. Another test uses bright lights to look at different parts of your eye.

Your doctor might put drops in your eyes to make your pupils bigger. This helps them see the back of your eye. After this, your vision will be blurry for a few hours. You might want to wear sunglasses when you leave.

Making a Plan That Works for You

The best way to know how often you need eye exams is to talk to your eye doctor. They know your age, your health, your job, and your family history. They can make a plan that is right for you.

Don’t wait until you have problems. By then, damage might already be done. Regular checkups protect your eyes and your health.

Take Care of Your Eyes Today at Eyedeology Optometry

Your eyes help you see everything in the world. They deserve good care. Regular eye exams at Eyedeology Optometry are one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Whether you’re a child getting your first exam, a parent who wants to help your child do well in school, or an older adult who wants to stay healthy, now is a great time to schedule an appointment with us. Professional eye care doctors are here to help you keep your vision clear and your eyes healthy.

Get directions to Eyedeology and visit our clinic for comprehensive eye exams and personalized vision care.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How often should you schedule a comprehensive eye exam?

A health check should be done every one to two years with an adult who is healthy. Avoid serious complications such as blindness: eye checkups for seniors and people with eye problems are essential.

  1. What happens during a comprehensive eye exam?

Your eye doctor checks how well you see, measures the pressure in your eyes, looks at the front and back of your eyes with special tools, and asks about your health.

  1. Do children and seniors need eye exams more frequently?

Yes, children should have exams before school starts and then every one to two years. People over 60 often do better with exams once a year.

  1. Can a comprehensive eye exam detect health problems besides vision issues?

Yes, eye exams can show signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer before you notice any other symptoms.

recent post

phone Call NowBook Now

Supporting Ocular Surface Healing and Comfort

The membrane contains natural growth factors and anti-inflammatory properties. When placed over the cornea, it acts as a protective layer that supports healing and may help reduce inflammation.

Potential Benefits

  • Supports Healing: Helps promote natural healing of the eye’s surface.
  • Reduces Inflammation: Its natural properties may help calm inflammation.
  • Improves Comfort: May help relieve discomfort related to dry eye.
  • Supports Recovery: Helps support the healing of the ocular surface.

Who May Benefit?

Amniotic Membrane Therapy may be suitable for people with moderate to severe dry eye, particularly when conventional treatments have not provided enough relief. An eye care professional can assess your eyes and determine if this treatment is appropriate.

How Does It Work?

The amniotic membrane is the innermost layer of the placenta and contains growth factors and anti-inflammatory properties. During treatment, a specially prepared membrane is placed over the eye’s surface to act as a biological covering and support healing.

What to Expect

Before treatment, your optometrist will examine your eyes and determine whether Amniotic Membrane Therapy is suitable for you.

  • Before Treatment: The eye is numbed with topical anesthetic drops, and the area is prepared.
  • Membrane Placement: The preserved and sterilized membrane is placed over the cornea.
  • After Placement: A special contact lens may be used to hold the membrane in place.
  • Post-Treatment Care: Antibiotic or anti-inflammatory eye drops may be prescribed when needed.
  • Follow-Up: Regular visits help monitor healing and the membrane’s absorption or integration.
Some patients may experience mild discomfort, a foreign body sensation, or temporary blurred vision after treatment. Improvement in symptoms may take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the individual.

Understanding Dry Eye and Your Treatment Options

Dry eye can develop for several reasons, and understanding the underlying cause is an important part of managing symptoms. Our team can assess your eyes and help develop a management plan based on your individual needs.

Common Symptoms of Dry Eye

Dry eye can affect both eyes and may cause different symptoms, including:

  • Stinging or Burning – A burning, stinging, or gritty feeling in the eyes.
  • Eye Redness – Red or irritated eyes.
  • Light Sensitivity – Increased sensitivity to light.
  • Excessive Watering – Eyes that water more than usual.
  • Blurred Vision or Eye Fatigue – Blurry vision or tired, strained eyes.
  • Foreign Body Sensation – A feeling that something is in your eye.

What Causes Dry Eye?

A healthy tear film has several components that work together to keep the surface of the eye comfortable and protected. Dry eye can occur when tear production decreases or when tears evaporate too quickly.

Several factors may contribute to dry eye, including:

  • Aging
  • Allergies
  • Hormonal changes
  • Eyelid problems
  • Gland dysfunction
  • Certain health conditions
  • Living in a dry climate
  • Extended screen time

One common factor is blockage of the Meibomian glands, which produce the lipid layer of the tear film. When these glands are not functioning properly, tear evaporation can increase and contribute to dry eye symptoms.

A Personalized Approach to Dry Eye Management

Managing dry eye involves more than simply using eye drops. Our team can help develop a personalized plan that may include targeted in-office treatments, nutritional guidance, and home care based on your needs. 

Home care may include:

  • Warm Compresses: Used as part of a regular eye-care routine.
  • Lid Hygiene: Keeping the eyelids and surrounding area clean.
  • Artificial Tears: May be recommended to help manage dryness and discomfort.

In-Office Treatment Options

For patients with more severe dry eye symptoms, targeted in-office treatments may be considered. Available options include:

  • Radiofrequency
  • Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL)
  • LipiFlow Therapy

These treatments may be used as part of dry eye management for symptoms such as burning, itching, redness, and irritation. The appropriate approach depends on the underlying factors contributing to your symptoms.

Managing Your Dry Eye Symptoms

Dry eye can have several contributing factors, so treatment is not the same for everyone. A thorough assessment can help identify factors affecting your tear film and determine which management options may be appropriate.

If you are experiencing persistent dryness, irritation, redness, light sensitivity, or other symptoms, speak with our eye care team about your dry eye management options.

Deep Cleansing for Healthier Eyelids and Lashes

ZEST (Zocular Eyelid System Treatment) is an in-office eyelid cleaning and debridement treatment developed by Zocular®. It is designed to clean the eyelids and lashes while helping address concerns associated with dry eye, blepharitis, and demodex.

The treatment uses a natural, okra-based gel to remove oil, debris, and residue from the eyelid margins and lashes. By improving eyelid hygiene, ZEST can help reduce the buildup that may contribute to irritation and inflammation around the eyes.

What Is ZEST?

ZEST works like a deep cleansing treatment for the eyelids and lashes. During the procedure, the okra-based gel is applied along the eyelid margins and lashes using a cotton swab. The gel is gently worked into a lather using circular motions before being rinsed away with saline solution.
The gel contains a refined extract of okra, an edible green seed pod. According to the provided product information, okra helps lift and clear oil, debris, and residue while being gentle around the eye area.

How Can ZEST Help?

Keeping the eyelids, eyelid margins, and lashes clean is an important part of eye hygiene. Buildup along the eyelid edges can contribute to symptoms such as itching, burning, gritty sensations, redness, and irritation.

ZEST is designed to address this buildup through thorough cleansing and debridement.

  • Removes Debris: Helps clear dirt, oil, and residue from the eyelid margins and lashes.
  • Supports Eyelid Hygiene: Provides a deeper cleansing treatment than routine eyelid cleaning.
    Addresses Demodex: The treatment is designed to help remove demodex mites and associated debris.
  • Helps Reduce Inflammation: Cleansing the eyelid area may help address buildup associated with irritation and inflammation.
  • Supports Dry Eye Care: ZEST may help relieve symptoms associated with dry eye and poor eyelid hygiene.

ZEST for Dry Eye, Blepharitis, and Demodex

Dry eye and blepharitis can be associated with inadequate eyelid hygiene. Debris along the eyelid margins can enter the tear film with blinking, potentially contributing to redness and irritation.

Demodex mites can also be present in the hair follicles around the eyelashes. According to the provided information, they may contribute to inflammation and dry eye symptoms by blocking the oil glands at the base of the eyelashes.

ZEST provides targeted cleansing of the eyelid margins and lashes to help remove this buildup and address demodex-related concerns.

A Simple In-Office Treatment

The ZEST procedure is performed in the office and involves applying the cleansing gel to the eyelid margins and lashes, working it into a lather, and then rinsing the area with saline solution. The treatment is designed to provide thorough eyelid and lash cleansing without requiring a lengthy procedure.

Is ZEST Right for You?

ZEST may be considered for patients experiencing symptoms associated with dry eye, blepharitis, demodex, or eyelid debris. An eye care professional can assess your symptoms and determine whether ZEST is appropriate for your eye care needs.
587-317-2134