How often should you have your eyes checked?

And what are the symptoms of poor vision?

Most people go to the dentist at least once, the GP twice and the hairdresser about six times a year. It is therefore strange that we neglect two of our most important organs – our eyes – when it comes to periodic check-ups. And that control is necessary, according to recent research figures. Due to the lockdown, our screen time has increased significantly and that has repercussions on the vision of both children and adults. And that happens so gradually that you don’t notice that you see dangerously less. How often should you have your eyes checked?

Did we Dutch watch a lot on all kinds of screens, because of the lockdown you can seriously speak of ‘corona eyes’. Research by Motivaction on behalf of a large optical chain shows that adult Dutch people spend on average no less than 5 hours and 15 minutes in front of a screen; an increase of no less than 14 percent! And with an average screen time of 4 hours and 20 minutes, children living at home are no less than that. Not surprising perhaps, given all the home schooling, but a 33 percent increase certainly does not please those children’s eyes.

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The symptoms of poor vision

That extra screen time has an impact on your eyes. Many people know that headaches, fatigue and reading difficulties are hallmarks of poor vision. Fewer people are aware, however, that impaired vision also causes concentration problems and an insecure feeling in traffic. Dangerous; because that can of course cause life-threatening situations on the road. And yet we prefer to ignore the indications that our eyes are deteriorating. And that applies not only to people without glasses or contact lenses, but even to people who already wear glasses or read: 25 percent of them prefer to postpone the periodic eye test because they don’t like it. Other symptoms of reduced vision can be: being bothered by bright light, but also, for example, itching between the eyes, mood swings and poor balance.

How often do eyes need a check-up?

Then we can say – as some of the more than 2000 respondents in the survey did – that ‘it is not necessary’ or that it simply ‘didn’t happen’, but the fact is that you are not doing yourself any favors and neither are those around you. (think of those fellow road users). In fact, you’re doing your eyes a disservice if you don’t get them checked regularly. Periodic eye checks are nothing more than taking good care of yourself, just like that aforementioned visit to the dentist or that visit to the hairdresser. It is not for nothing that experts advise to have your eyes measured every year, even if you already wear glasses or contact lenses. Your vision can deteriorate further.

Be sure to have an eye test if:

You suspect that you have started to see worse
You experience one or more of the symptoms listed in this article
You keep increasing the font size on your screen or phone
You need more and more light when reading or only read in daylight
You keep your book or screen further away from you
You don’t want to drive in the dark or feel insecure while driving
You increasingly sit at the front of presentations or in class
You participate less actively in lessons or meetings

And those children?

Focusing the eyes on a nearby point for a long time (such as on a screen) changes the curvature of the eye. That change is permanent, children’s eyes continue to grow in that wrong shape. In the long run, they can only look closely at something up close and less well into the distance. That is why it is extra important that children also take good care of their eyes, recognize the signals in time and take action. Yet the research shows that only a meager third of parents take action to keep their children’s eyes healthy. As a parent, you may not be able to do much about those mandatory online classes. But you do have options for protecting your kids’ eye health. That starts with making sure that such a screen is at least an arm’s length away and dimming the screen if possible. When in doubt about your child’s vision, always have an eye test, especially if a child complains of headaches or reading problems. And while 5 percent of parents are familiar with the 20-20-2 rule; a shocking 95 percent is not. And that while the 20-20-2 rule is a very simple way to help prevent myopia in children. The Eye Fund even recommends this for young people up to the age of 20. The numbers represent 20 minutes of screen or reading time, 20 seconds of looking into the distance, and having kids play outside for 2 hours a day. Going outside is also good for adults, even if you don’t make it to 2 hours.