How often should you get your eyes tested?

Every two years is the general recommendation for a healthy adult. Several common circumstances shorten that to one — and the reasons have more to do with eye health than with blurry vision.

The usual intervals

• Adults, no risk factors — every two years.
• Children — at least every two years, and annually where a prescription is already being managed. A first check before starting school is widely advised, because a child with one weaker eye has no way of knowing.
• Over 70 — annually.
• Diabetes — annually, plus the separate retinal screening programme.
• Glaucoma, or a first-degree relative with it — annually, often from 40.
• High myopia (beyond about −6.00 D) — annually, with dilated retinal examination.
• Children in myopia management — every six to twelve months, since the decisions depend on the rate of change.

What the test actually covers

The refraction — the part that produces your prescription — is one component. A full test also checks eye pressure, the optic nerve and retina, the health of the front of the eye, how the two eyes work together, and your visual fields. Several of the conditions found this way have no symptoms in their early stages, which is precisely why the interval is time-based rather than symptom-based.

Bring your history

The single most useful thing you can take to an appointment is your previous prescriptions — especially if you are seeing a new practice. It turns "this is your prescription" into "this is how your eyes have changed", which is a substantially more useful conversation, and it takes seconds if the record is on your phone.