When it comes to scheduling routine health check-ups for the purpose of preventive health care, eye examinations are mostly overlooked. At the best of times, people assume a basic screening is enough to ensure good vision.
At speciality eye hospitals like Narayana Netralaya in Bengaluru, eye health is taken very seriously. At this NABH accredited hospital, eye check-ups may include more comprehensive evaluations to determine the general health of eyes. “Keeping an eye” on the health of your eyes matters.
Eye Examinations and Vision Screening
Typically, two kinds of eye check-ups exist. These are basic routine screenings or check-ups, and comprehensive or more detailed eye evaluations.
As much as routine eye check-ups are warranted, and should be part of your eye healthcare plan, you may tend to ignore them as you may not experience any kind of visual problem. Like any check-up, basic routine screenings involve checks for visual acuity and any visual problems at an elementary level.
These are quick and inexpensive tests. In a basic check of the eyes, individuals are typically requested to read tiers of letters on a chart, from about 20 feet away. The screening will test both eyes together, as well as each eye separately. If someone is tested at a level lower than 20/40, they will be referred to an eye specialist for corrective spectacles or contacts, or medical treatment of the eyes.
These are tests that are included in many general healthcare plans, but they may not be in some. A healthcare card like the Bajaj Finserv Health EMI Card lets you opt for easy payments for such tests. It's easy to know how to apply Health card online is a quick process. Health cards like the one by Bajaj Finserv also let you afford more comprehensive eye evaluations. These are performed by optometrists/ophthalmologists. Eye examinations such as these involve a more detailed testing procedure.
A basic vision screening may be done in addition to a more in-depth examination for serious eye problems, like glaucoma, macular degeneration, detached retinas, and cataracts, among other eye issues.
In most comprehensive eye check-ups, glaucoma tests are done to check and measure inner eye pressure. For other eye conditions, the ophthalmologist will only test you if he/she suspects something is amiss in the basic tests. These should be done routinely and can be helpful to detect serious eye conditions at early stages, so treatment can be effective.
Frequency of Check-ups
Recommended eye examinations and checks are based on the age of the individual:
- Ages 20 – 30 – Every 5 – 10 years
- Ages 40 – 54 – Between 2 – 4 years
- Ages 55 – 64 – Between 1 – 3 years
- Age 65 plus – Every 1 – 2 years
People who experience vision problems or discomfort in the eyes should visit the eye doctor urgently. Those who wear corrective lenses should ideally visit an ophthalmologist once in 6 months. If you have a family history of eye disease, then it's a good idea to visit your eye doctor from a young age, and they will recommend the frequency of routine checks depending on your family history.
Patients with chronic diseases may have to visit eye doctors regularly as part of their treatment plans, in case illnesses increase the risk of eye disease. Parents are recommended eye tests for children from a year onwards, every six months. Eye tests usually last about an hour. To check some parameters, the ophthalmologist will need to put drops into your eyes and check them.
Vital Eye Care
Eyes are your “windows to health”, and even if you have normal vision and no manifesting symptoms, it's a good idea to get your eyes checked once in 2 years. Ophthalmologists will likely be able to discover whether you may be at risk for potential eye diseases like glaucoma and cataracts.
The Bajaj Finserv Health EMI Network Card lets you afford the best in eye health in hospitals like Narayana Netralaya, letting you split your hospital, diagnostic and pharmacy expenses into easily payable EMIs, with flexible tenors of up to 24 months. Choose from 5,500+ healthcare partners in over 1,000 cities, by using the Health EMI Network Card.
