Just because you have 20/20 vision doesn't mean you should skip a visit to the eye doctor. Make sure to check in with your optometrist once a year.
If you've had corrective eye surgery, you're at a higher risk for retinal detachment. Once your eyes are fixed, getting an eye exam is probably no longer at the top of your priority list. But the chances of you getting retinal detachment increases after surgery, and you want to get a diagnosis as early as possible to save your vision. You also have a much higher risk for developing myopia (nearsightedness) earlier than people without any eye issues.
Some eye conditions are irreversible if caught too late. "A lot of eye conditions can be treated, but if you wait too long it's much more difficult to reverse the damage,” explains Weinstein. Since there are no symptoms in the early stages, glaucoma is especially hard to catch. However, if you have your eye pressure checked once a year, you can detect it early, before it leads to serious side effects such as blindness. Cataracts is another eye disease that can be detected early during exams. "An annual eye exam is really important for someone who cares about their health — both the visual part and the medical part,” says Weinstein.