Key Takeaways
- Contact lens prescriptions expire after one year.
- Your age, vision stability, and overall health affect how often you need an exam.
- Headaches, blurred vision, and eye strain are signs your prescription may be out of date.
- A comprehensive eye exam can detect early signs of serious eye diseases and some systemic health conditions.
Eye Exam Results and How Long They Last
For most adults, eye exam results and prescriptions stay valid for 1–2 years, depending on your age and overall eye health. Children under 18 typically need a new exam every year, as their vision often changes quickly as their eyes grow and develop. Contact lens prescriptions expire after one year, as the fit of your lenses and the health of your eyes require regular checkups.
At Vision One Boise, we offer comprehensive eye exams to help you stay on top of changes before they affect your daily life.
How Often You Should See an Optometrist in Boise
General Guidelines
While your personal history affects how often you should see your optometrist, the general recommendations are as follows:
- Children and teenagers: annually, due to the fact that their eyes are still developing
- Adults ages 18 to 60 with stable vision: every 1–2 years
- Adults 60 and older: annually, due to increased risk of age-related eye disease
- Contact lens wearers: annually to monitor the fit of the contact lenses and the health of the cornea
- Anyone experiencing sudden vision changes or discomfort: book an appointment promptly
As far as prescriptions go, prescriptions for glasses generally remain valid for 1–2 years, while prescriptions for contact lenses typically expire after one year.
Health Conditions That Play a Role
Your overall health directly affects your eyes. Conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can lead to changes inside the eye, sometimes before you notice any symptoms. If you’re currently managing a general health or eye-related issue, you may need more frequent appointments than the standard guidelines suggest.
Other conditions that require monitoring, such as cataracts, significant refractive errors, glaucoma, and retinal complications, may also require regular monitoring.
Signs Your Prescription May Be Out of Date
If something is off with your vision, your eyes often let you know. Here are some common signs that your prescription may no longer be right for you:
- Frequent headaches or eye strain, especially after screen time or reading
- Blurred or double vision at any distance
- Squinting to see clearly or increased sensitivity to glare
If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth scheduling an eye exam sooner rather than later. An incorrect prescription can make you prone to issues like digital eye strain.
What a Comprehensive Eye Exam Can Reveal
More Than Just Vision Correction
A comprehensive eye exam does more than just update your glasses prescription. As part of your appointment, your eye doctor will examine the internal structures of your eye for early signs of conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration, often before you begin to develop noticeable vision loss. In fact, eye exams can detect more than 270 different health conditions, including systemic health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes.
How Long Does the Exam Take?
A full exam typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. During that time, your eye care team runs multiple tests covering both visual acuity and eye health. Tools like optical coherence tomography give your eye doctor a detailed cross-section of your retina, helping them detect conditions like macular degeneration and glaucoma in their early stages.
Help Us Keep Your Eyes Healthy
Staying consistent with your exams means that your eye doctor has a clear record of how your vision has changed over time.
At Vision One Boise, we offer comprehensive eye exams for every member of your family. If you’re due for an exam or have noticed changes in your eyesight, request an appointment to get scheduled.
