General Eye Care
General Eye Care Clinic in Illinois & Iowa
Comprehensive Eye Exams: Protecting Your Vision for Life
Here’s something that might surprise you: Even if your vision seems perfect, your eyes might not be healthy. Many serious eye diseases—including the leading causes of blindness like diabetes and glaucoma—start with no warning signs at all.
We’re not just checking if you need glasses—we’re protecting your sight for life.
Why Are Regular Eye Exams Important?
Many eye diseases develop gradually and without noticeable symptoms. Conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease can progress quietly until vision loss occurs. Annual eye exams allow our board-certified ophthalmologists and optometrists to detect these issues early, when treatment is most effective. We also assess for common refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism to ensure your prescription is current.
Who Should Get an Eye Exam?
Eye exams are essential for patients of all ages, not just those experiencing vision problems. Children should have their first comprehensive eye exam before starting school. Adults under 40 with no signs of disease or family history and no refractive errors every 5 years, while those over 40 should schedule one every 2-4 years. Patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of eye disease should have more frequent exams.
Children
- All children by age 3 (earlier if there’s a family history of eye problems, crossed eyes, or wandering eye)
- Before age 20 as recommended by your doctor/pediatrician or if vision changes noticed
Adults
- Ages 20-40: Every 5 years (unless you have vision changes, pain, flashes, new floaters, or eye injury). Wearing contacts, you’ll need an exam every year for your prescription.
- Ages 40-64: Every 2-4 years
- Ages 65+: Every 1-2 years
- People with diabetes: Every year