Do you remember when you had your last eye exam? If you can’t, know you’re not alone. According to a recent study conducted by VSP Vision Care and market research agency YouGov, most people rate vision as their most important sense but only half reported getting an eye exam in the last year.So why are people in the U.S. skipping annual eye exams? Many think that they don’t need to see an eye doctor if they have good eyesight or don’t feel their vision has changed enough to need a new prescription. What many may not realize is that eye health is connected to overall health and wellness.Comprehensive eye exams typically take an hour or less, and in that brief time, allow eye doctors to detect signs of serious health conditions such as thyroid disease, high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, and certain types of cancers.Find more eye-opening perceptions about eye health from the study below.
By the numbers: The importance of eye exams
- 8 in 10 people (84 percent) rate vision as the most important sense, and nearly everyone (97 percent) agrees that having healthy eyes is important, but only half of people get annual eye exams.
- Virtually no one (1 percent) knows that signs of serious diseases and conditions like high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, thyroid diseases, and certain types of cancers can be detected through an eye exam.
- 6 in 10 (61 percent) people worry about diabetes impacting their family’s health, but only 4 percent know that eye doctors can detect signs of diabetes through an eye exam.
- More than two-thirds of parents worry about their children’s eye health more than their own, but only 12 percent of parents know children should receive their first eye exam at six months old.
- After learning about the importance of annual eye exams, 9 in 10 (90 percent) survey respondents agree on the importance of annual eye exams.
Schedule your annual eye exam.