When to go for an eye check in Singapore?
Mostly everyone is aware that they should go for their regular dental appointments, with some religiously going annually to get their teeth checked. However, it is not widely known that one should also attend comprehensive eye checks regularly, and this includes people of all ages. Internal research by Plano found that only half of primary and secondary school children in Singapore have ever gone for an eye check, with only 1 in 5 adhering to the recommended national guidelines. In this article, we aim to provide you with information about how often you should go for an eye check, what to expect, and where you can get reliable information about national guidelines for eye checks. Know when to go for an eye check in Singapore.
Why are eye checks important?
Researchers have noted that there is a tendency for many people to neglect their eyes because most of the time, they do not experience noticeable problems with their vision and think that all is fine. This is especially critical, given that the development of some eye conditions, such as glaucoma, may even start before symptoms appear. By the time symptoms start to appear, the disease may have already progressed and may potentially have already caused significant vision loss.
How often should I go for eye checks?
Guidelines for when and how often people should go for comprehensive eye checks differ by their age group and country.
Most countries, such as India and the United States, recommend that preschool children (those up to the age of 5 years old) should have their first vision screening at 6 months old, and subsequently another vision screening at 3 years of age.
For school-going children (primary and secondary school children), it is advised that parents should take their children for regular eye checks at least once every 1-2 years.
As people get older, age-related eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, are more likely to occur. To monitor vision changes, most countries recommend that adults get a baseline eye screening at 40 years old and ask the doctor to assess and advise the frequency for follow-up screenings, given that each person’s condition is different. If your family has a history of eye conditions, or if the nature of your job demands more eye-intensive actions (such as spending long hours in front of screens), more frequent eye checks are recommended.
What does a comprehensive eye check consist of?
Eye examinations are not just about prescribing spectacles or contact lenses. They also help identify vision problems and potentially, long-term vision problems.
During a comprehensive eye check, the eye health professional (either an optometrist or ophthalmologist) will usually test for the near and far visual acuity of both your eyes. Typical equipment used during the eye screening includes a slit lamp to check the structure of the eye and a Snellen chart to test for visual acuity. It is also important to bring your spectacles and contact lenses and inform the eye health professional of your current prescriptions.
There may also be additional tests during the eye check, such as pupil dilation and retinal evaluation tests to examine the health of the back part of the eyes, depending on your condition. (You can find more information about the different types of tests done during a comprehensive eye check)
planoAdvisor: Find out when you should get your next eye check
The team at Plano understands that it might be difficult sometimes to know what are the guidelines for eye checks in your country, and which source(s) should be trusted. This is exactly why we have developed planoAdvisor, a web-based platform that makes finding out if you need to go for an eye check and how often you should go for one in a fast and reliable way.
Users of the platform only need to input simple demographic information, such as their age and country of residence, whether they’ve gone for an eye check before and if yes, when was their last check, whether they are displaying any eye-related symptoms and their line of work. The smart algorithms of the platform will then determine and provide you with your personalised eye health recommendations so you can keep your eyes healthy.
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