How Often Should You Get an Eye Exam?

Regular eye exams are one of the best ways to protect your vision, update your prescription, and catch changes in eye health before they become more serious. At Steinmann Eye Care, we provide comprehensive eye exams in Redlands, CA, to help patients of all ages see clearly and feel confident about their long-term eye health.
 

Why Routine Eye Exams Matter

Eye exams do more than check whether you need glasses or contact lenses. A comprehensive exam allows us to evaluate how well your eyes work together, check your prescription, and look for signs of common eye conditions. Many vision and eye health changes develop gradually, which means you may not notice symptoms right away.
 

By staying consistent with exams, we can monitor your eyes over time and recommend care that fits your needs.
 

How Often Adults Should Schedule Eye Exams

For many adults, a comprehensive eye exam every one to two years is recommended. If you wear glasses or contacts, have a family history of eye disease, or manage health conditions like diabetes, you may need exams more often.
 

Even if your vision seems stable, regular eye exams are important. Your prescription can change subtly, and eye health concerns can develop without obvious warning signs.
 

Eye Exams for Children and Teens

Children rely heavily on their vision for learning, reading, sports, and daily activities. Because kids may not always know how to explain vision problems, routine pediatric eye exams can help detect issues early.
 

A child may need an eye exam if they:

• Squint, rub their eyes, or sit close to screens
• Complain about headaches or tired eyes
• Struggle with reading or keeping their place
• Have trouble seeing the board at school
• Avoid close-up work or lose focus easily

For school-age children and teens, annual eye exams are often helpful, especially if they wear glasses, use screens often, or have signs of changing vision.
 

When You Should Come In Sooner

You should not wait for your next routine visit if you notice sudden or uncomfortable changes in your vision. Blurry vision, eye pain, flashes, floaters, redness, light sensitivity, or frequent headaches may be signs that your eyes need attention.
 

It is also important to schedule an exam sooner if your glasses or contacts no longer feel accurate, your eyes feel strained at work, or night driving has become more difficult.
 

Eye Exams for Contact Lens Wearers

If you wear contact lenses, yearly exams are especially important. Contacts sit directly on the eye, so we need to check your prescription, lens fit, corneal health, and overall comfort. A contact lens exam helps us make sure your lenses are still the right option for your eyes and lifestyle.
 

If you experience dryness, irritation, redness, or blurry vision with contacts, we can evaluate whether a different lens design, material, or wearing schedule may help.
 

Eye Health Changes With Age

As we get older, the risk of certain eye conditions increases. Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye can become more common with age. Routine eye exams help us watch for early signs and guide you toward the right next steps when needed.
 

Your exam schedule should be personalized based on your age, health history, symptoms, and vision needs.
 

Schedule Your Eye Exam in Redlands, CA

If it has been a while since your last eye exam, we would be happy to help. Contact Steinmann Eye Care in Redlands, CA by calling (909) 679-5450 to schedule your next comprehensive eye exam.