How Often Should Teenagers Undergo Eye Exams for Vision Screening?

Myopia has become a prevalent phenomenon today, with an increasingly younger age group being affected, including many children who are now at high risk of developing myopia. To prevent myopia, children should undergo an annual eye exam. For those already affected by myopia, after the initial examination, it is advisable to have a follow-up exam every three months and promptly wear corrective glasses based on their myopia condition.

How Often Should Adolescents Have Eye Exams?

Adolescents should have at least one eye exam per year. For those who are already myopic, it is recommended to have a follow-up exam three months after the first optometry and prescription of glasses. The timing of subsequent exams depends on the rate of myopia progression. If the progression is slow, the interval can be extended to every six months or once a year. However, if the myopia increases rapidly, measures such as wearing orthokeratology lenses or administering 0.01% atropine eye drops should be considered to slow down the progression. For adolescents with refractive errors accompanied by strabismus or amblyopia, the follow-up interval should be shortened to every six months, three months, or even once a month.

The Importance of Eye Exams

From birth until the age of six, it is the golden period for visual development. By the age of six or seven, vision is largely mature, making early childhood vision care crucial. Neglecting this can lead to children wearing glasses at a young age, sometimes due to heredity but often due to inadequate eye protection. Therefore, it's essential to take children for regular eye examinations.

Methods to Prevent Myopia

1. Proper Pen-holding Posture: Incorrect pen-holding can block children's vision, leading them to unconsciously lean or tilt their heads to write. Prolonged incorrect posture can cause myopia. The correct posture involves holding the pen with the thumb and index finger, with the fulcrum resting on the first joint of the middle finger, and the pen tip approximately 3.3cm from the thumb.
2. Correct Sitting Posture: Close-range vision is a major factor contributing to childhood myopia. When reading or writing, the head and body should be upright, feet flat on the ground, chest one fist away from the table, and eyes 33cm from the book.
3. Adequate Lighting for Study: Lighting should be neither too bright nor too dim. A stable light source is ideal, and when using a desk lamp, it's best to turn on the room light as well.
4. Moderate Use of Electronic Devices: Prolonged and close-range use of electronic devices is a significant cause of myopia. Parents should strictly limit children's screen time and distance from TVs, computers, and mobile phones. After 40-50 minutes of screen time, children should look into the distance or close their eyes for 10-15 minutes.
5. Participate in Outdoor Activities: Research shows that spending 1-2 hours outdoors daily has a definite preventive effect on myopia. Parents should encourage children to play outdoors during the day, even if it's just spending time outdoors without engaging in sports.