People generally dismiss regular eye exams, feeling they are not necessary unless their vision starts to degenerate. In reality, regular eye exams are critical to early detection of diseases like glaucoma. Many disorders of the eye can strike without prior warning, so regular exams are the best way to ensure these problems are identified and treated.

At every age, eye exams are important:

• Infants and children – Vision problems affect more than 15% of kids, but children, especially the very young, are not able to recognize deficiencies in their vision. Eye exams help correct problems that can impact a child’s health and ability to learn in school.
  
  
• Adults – As we age, vision can start to degenerate. Regular eye exams can spot changes in vision and offer corrective options to ensure that you can continue to perform well at work and enjoy activities like reading.
  
  
• Seniors – Older adults can begin experiencing vision problems that result from ailments like glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. Eye exams are the key to early detection and treatment of these very serious conditions.

In addition to detection of eye diseases, eye exams can help spot problems in your overall health. Diseases that affect vision, like diabetes, that can be identified early through an eye exam.