How often do you go ? If you don't need glasses, do you still go on a regular basis?
If you do wear glasses, how often? My 8 yr old goes every 6 months. She is seen at an eye specialist(An MD, not and OD)refered by her ped. When she was 4, she had one eye that turned in, then we found out at that time she couldnt see up close(We had no idea). So she has been wearing glasses for 4 yrs now. At her last appointment, the eye dr asked me if Faith was seen yet. I told him no.He then asked her age, and I told him 3 1/2. He said in 6 months when Elizabeth goes back, she should come in for her first eye appt.
I have not been to an eye dr in years and years(Never needed classes, I may now due to old age LOL).
So I am going to schedule an eye appt for me and my 13 yr old son.
I do good with scheduling yrly dr appts for me and the kids, and dental appts on a regular basis. I guess I have slacked in the eye department(Well Except for Elizabeth, she does go every 6 months without fail.
So how often do the rest of you go?

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 01:02 pm:

When I was in my 30s and 40s, I saw an opthalmologist every 2 years - I've been wearing glasses since I was 8. After I turned 50 I started every year, having bifocals and then trifocals. Now I am going every 6 months because both my mother and her sister had to treat for pressure in the eyes, a precursor of glaucoma, and I have very slight cateracts. I get tested for pressure at each visit.

I would say for yourself, every 2 to 3 years is good unless there are problems, like you need a vision correction prescription. Our eyes change as we get older, and it is good to keep on top of that. For your 13 year old son, see what the eye doc says after the first visit.

I personally prefer to see an opthalmologist (who is, of course, an M.D.) just because that's my preference. Just like I prefer to go to a foot/ankle doctor who is an M.D. or D.O, rather than a podiatrist. I like to see someone who has the M.D training and then speciality training on top. And for Elizabeth, of course, it makes sense for her to see an opthalmologist. For Faith, for the first screening appointment, that also makes sense, given Elizabeth's problem.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 01:14 pm:

I go every 2 years and I have bifocals. I don't know if my insurance company would pay for an every year visit.

By Reds9298 on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 02:49 pm:

I don't wear glasses and have great vision, so I've only been once in college when my eyes were just so tired from all the reading. I didn't need anything except a break! I haven't been since.

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 03:01 pm:

I'm near sighted, and have glasses, but only wear them when I need them for distance reading. I haven't been to the eye doctor for 3 yrs., and it's time to go again. I've yet to take my kids because they have passed all vision screenings with flying colors through school and their well baby visits. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get them tested, but I haven't seen the point since neither has had any problems.

By Colette on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 03:04 pm:

I am near-sighted and have worn glasses/contacts since 5th grade. I go every year, my dk's and dh are all near-sighted too and they go every year too.

By Karen~admin on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 03:46 pm:

I think every 2 years is pretty much the norm, unless you have reasons to go more often. Jeff used to go every 6 months when he was young, too.

I did find, however, that when I was wearing bifocal contacts, I couldn't get them unless I had a new script every 12 months. This was maybe 10 years ago.

By Bellajoe on Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 04:52 pm:

I never go. I don't weard glasses and see fine, so I never saw a need for the eye doctor for me.
Although, lately i've been getting short little dizzy spells several times a day. I told my dh about it and he said that perhaps it's my eyesight. I hadn't thought about that, but now that he said that, I am more aware that I am sort of straining to read lately.
Now my question is, do I need a referral for an eye doctor, or does that depend on the Dr. and the insurance? Or can I just make an appt. and go?

My kids don't wear glasses, and don't go to the eye dr. They get their eyesight tested in the beginning of every school year by the school nurse.

By Jackie on Monday, February 25, 2008 - 06:16 am:

It depends on what kind of insurance you have. We have a special eye plan with our insurance. Now, on our eye plan, the MD' eye drs need a referal. There is a ton of regular eye drs(OD's)on our eye plan that dont need a referal, and its covered at 100%