Why Your Vision Care Should Change Once You Reach Adulthood

Your eyes change as you get older, and so should your vision care. By staying on top of your eye care needs, you can be sure that eye conditions will be diagnosed as early as possible and you’ll always have an up-to-date vision prescription. 

At Adult Strabismus Institute in Plano, Texas, fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologist Lori Dao, MD, specializes in treating strabismus, double vision, and other vision problems that commonly show up during childhood or adolescence. 

Dr. Dao can help you stay on track with getting age-appropriate vision care as you approach and enter adulthood. Here’s why your vision care regimen must change as you leave adolescence behind:

Your eyes are now fully developed

By the time you reach your 20s, your eyes have completed their development. Most people’s vision stays pretty consistent throughout their 20s and 30s, and there is no longer a need for an eye doctor to make sure eye development is on track. 

Your eyesight may still change, but usually only slightly. That’s one reason why you should continue getting complete eye exams every five to 10 years if your eyes are generally healthy. 

Of course, you should make an appointment if vision changes are noticeable and you need new glasses or contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses regularly, your eye doctor will encourage you to visit for an eye exam once a year rather than every 5 to 10 years. 

Some eye conditions start in adulthood

Although it isn’t very common, it’s possible to develop eye conditions in your early adulthood. If you notice unusual vision changes, such as double vision or floaters, book an appointment with your ophthalmologist for an evaluation. 

Dr. Dao can check you for signs of eye conditions that can occur in early adulthood, like:

• Strabismus
• Digital eye strain (eye strain from looking at screens)
• Increasing refractive errors (like nearsightedness or farsightedness)
• Glaucoma

Regular eye exams can help you catch signs of these conditions early, which is usually when they’re easiest to treat. 

Vision care changes you can expect

Pediatric vision care appointments often focus on detecting common vision problems in kids, like amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus. Regular eye exams then monitor their eyes’ development as they go through their childhood and teen years. 

Detecting and treating vision problems in childhood can help kids read and do well in school. Dr. Dao can also discuss eye safety with your child and offer recommendations for eye protection during sports. 

In adulthood, eye care appointments focus on monitoring vision changes and addressing common problems like digital eye strain. 

Your appointments may also largely focus on managing your contact lenses. You can update your prescription, change lens types, or learn how to use your contact lenses safely. 

Get in touch

For more information on vision care for young adults, call the Adult Strabismus Institute or book an appointment online today.