At what ages and how often should an eye specialist be examined?

An eye exam is required every two years. However, it may be more common in some age groups and less common in some age groups. Eye examination in infancy is the first meeting with the ophthalmologist. In the newborn eye examination, the parts of the eye structure are examined by the physician by dilating the pupils and using some devices. During the second eye examination, a motility test is performed as in newborn babies. The eye structure and parts are examined. Refractive errors and vision measurements are made to detect refractive errors and laziness, if any. Tests such as retinoscopy, lea symbols (using symbols instead of letters to test vision), and random dot stereopsis are used. The second eye examination should take place between the ages of 3-4. It is important for children to see an ophthalmologist every 1 or 2 years after the age of 5 to detect eye diseases. However, children with some diseases may need more frequent examinations. For example, problems such as strabismus and amblyopia are eye diseases encountered in childhood. These patients must come for examination every six months. If the patient has a refractive error, an ophthalmologist examination is recommended once a year. Although the age range of 3-5 is the critical period for the diagnosis of certain diseases such as amblyopia and vision defects in childhood, eye diseases mostly increase with age. For this reason, with advancing age, the frequency of examinations should be increased in line with the level of discomfort experienced. Some eye diseases such as glaucoma, i.e. eye pressure, etc. can cause pain. Since it does not show symptoms, it is important to perform routine checks without interruption. For routine checks, an ophthalmologist examination is required at minimum every 5 years for those aged 20-39, every 3 years for those aged 40-54, every two years for those aged 55-64, and especially once a year for those over 65 years of age. Technologies Used in Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases Autorefractometer  Auto Refractor or automatic refractor,  It is a computer-controlled machine used during an eye examination to obtain a prescription for glasses or contact lenses by providing an objective measurement of the refractive error of the eye. Measurement with an autorefractometer device is a simple method. It is achieved by measuring and observing how the light entering a person's eye changes. First, the patient is asked to lean his forehead and chin against the device and look at the picture inside through the hole of the device. The Auto Refractor delivers light to the eye by measuring how light changes when reflected from the back of the eye (ocular fundus). As reflections are made, several measurements determine when the eye is properly focused. The final numbers determine the level of vision correction required.  Air-puff  The most commonly used measurements for screening purposes are a device that blows air into the eye, called air-puff. It is performed by air-pufftonometry, which is based on sending a jet of air to the cornea and sending it back by the cornea. This device is the most sensitive device in eye pressure measurement and the probability of error is much lower than the air device.  Biometry It is an ultrasonic eye measurement device. It is used to measure the lenses that will be placed in the eye after cataract surgery.   Eye Ultrasound is used to view the eye and its surroundings with an ultrasound device using high frequency sound waves. 

Pachymetry Corneal thickness is determined using a pachymetry device before laser surgery and glaucoma treatment.   Visual Field: With the visual field, it is determined whether the patient has a loss in the visual field.  FFA Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) is an examination used to examine the nerve layer and support tissue called choroid and retina at the back of the eye. Before the procedure, a drug called fluorescein is injected into a vein in the patient's hand or arm.  Corneal Topography is a device that allows the physician to obtain information about the structure of the cornea before applications such as refractive surgery and lenses.  Iol Master Optical Biometry  It is a device used to calculate the refractive power of the new lens to be installed during the process of installing a new lens instead of the lens that has lost its transparency in cataract surgeries.  Argon Laser (Retinal Detachment Treatment) Argon laser is a device used to treat tears and holes. This procedure is a painless procedure. It is a treatment method performed by the doctor in the examination room without any pre-treatment. Yag Laser is a treatment method used for the treatment of bleeding and vessels that appear in the retina due to diabetes.   Oct (Optical Coherence Tomography)  OCT is a device that allows detailed examination of retinal and choroidal vascularity. With the help of this device, the patient is prepared for the eye examination. An eye drop may also be instilled to dilate the pupils and make the examination easier. As in FFA, detailed examination of the retinal network is provided without the need for any material. OCT is a very important imaging device for the diagnosis of diseases such as glaucoma, high blood pressure, retinal diseases, macular degeneration, and diabetes affecting the eye. Plusoptix   Plusoptix is a high-tech screening test used to detect visual defects or eye diseases in children. It is also a device that makes second measurements for patients of all age groups. Excimer Laser  Excimer laser is applied to the corneal area in the front of the eye. It is a method used to treat vision defects in the cornea, known as the transparent layer in the eye structure. Phacoemulsification  The procedure, popularly known as Phaco, is a specially designed cataract surgery instrument. In cataract surgery, the cataract surgery is completed by creating a 2 mm incision in the patient's eye. This procedure is performed without anesthetizing the patient and takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

Vitrectomy        Vitrectomy is a surgery with very few complications and a frequently preferred surgical operation with a high success rate. It is a procedure used for retinal detachments, eye diseases resulting from diabetes, bleeding, and holes in the center of the eye.       Electrophysiology  These are tests used to evaluate the retina, brain visual pathways and optic nerve pathways as a whole. Microperimetry  Microperimetry is a visual field test that can detect the sensitivity of the tissue in the retina using a visual field test and fundus image. Specular Microscope  The cornea is the front part of the eye structure in the form of a transparent layer.

It is very important to have a sufficient number of endothelial cells that protect the intact layer of the cornea. A specular microscope is used to determine the number of these cells, which are directly linked to corneal transparency.