You'll hear, from both prescription professionals like us SportRxers as well as your optometrist, that you need to update your prescription every year or two. But why is that? Read on to learn more about the importance of keeping your prescription up to date.
Why Does My Prescription Change?
In most cases, age is the reason for eyesight changing. Many children are actually born farsighted, and their vision will improve as their eyes grow. On the other hand, children who are nearsighted will usually notice that it worsens as they get older.
Either way it's especially important for children to get an eye exam at least once a year. And for children under 2, we even recommend getting an eye exam first at six months of age and every six months after.
With rapidly growing bodies (and eyes), a prescription might not last as long as it's meant to. For most kids, their eyesight will change every year or even sooner. If you notice your child squinting, rubbing their eyes, or complaining of headaches, it's probably time to schedule an eye exam.
Luckily, vision stops changing between the ages of 18 and 21. Though you should still check up with your doctor every other year, your eyesight will more or less stabilize.
Once you hit your 40s you will probably need reading glasses. This condition is called presbyopia, and it's a normal side effect of aging. Your eyes begin to have more trouble focusing on things close up, so you find yourself holding things at arm's length to see them. Continue to visit your doctor every other year. At 65 years of age or older, we recommend annual visits.
Other Causes of Prescription Changes
Some medications or medical conditions, such as diabetes or pregnancy, can cause temporary changes in your eyesight. In the case of diabetes, unchecked blood sugar levels over time can also lead to cataracts.
Cataracts, like many other vision problems, are age-related and often don't cause issues with your eyesight until they're severe. These don't affect the prescription necessarily, but worsen if not treated. Even if you don't normally wear glasses, you should still get an eye exam every year or two to check up on eye health.
There are also times when someone between the ages of 20 and 40 still finds their vision is changing. In this case, genetics and your overall health play a big part. If the vision problem persists, check with your doctor.
All in all...
The bottom line is that no matter how old you are, annual vision changes are normal. Eyes are weird sometimes. Regardless of what they decide to do, be sure to stay up to date on your doctor visits to prevent any serious vision problems.
And once your prescription is shiny and new again? Shop some glasses!
Prescription Glasses at SportRx
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Need prescription glasses? Done. When you shop with us, you’ll find video guides and tooltips throughout the build process as you customize the perfect pair. An answer to all your questions is at your fingertips, and if you want to chat with an expert, Contact Us. We’ll put you in touch with one of our friendly in-house opticians who can help you build your prescription glasses.
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