If you have neglected your vision and it has been a long time since your eye exam, you may feel a bit stressed. You can read on to learn why you should get in for an eye exam and what you can expect when you do go in. 

1. Your eyesight can change without you noticing

The reason why you may be putting off an eye exam is that you think your vision is still great. However, vision problems can come on slowly. When your vision worsens at a slow pace, you may not notice for a long time. However, some signs can indicate this is going on. Some of these signs include: 

• You now hold fine print items closer or further than you used to
• You tend to squint your eyes frequently
• You are having headaches
• You keep a magnifying glass near you to read the fine print
• You rearrange your furniture so it's closer to the TV
• Your eyes burn, itch, water, and/or are sensitive to the light (signs of eye fatigue)

2. Your eye exam includes several tests 

When you go in for your eye exam, you will be seated in front of a piece of equipment. You will be directed to look into it and a puff of air will quickly be blown into your eyes. This can be a little startling, but it doesn't hurt. This is a test to see if you are at risk of glaucoma. 

You will be moved to another piece of equipment and the optometrist will sit in front of you and change a bunch of slides while you look at them through a headpiece and tell them which slides look clearer. This test will let them know if you have any vision problems. If you do, then it will also determine what prescription you need. 

The optometrist will also look in your eyes with a handheld light. This light will allow them to see your retina, your optic disk, and the blood vessels in your eyes. This allows them to see if something is going on that needs attention, such as having a retina tear or something else. 

After your eye exam, the optometrist will let you know what your vision is and whether you need prescription lenses. At this point, you will be able to look at the selection of glasses they have and purchase the frames you want. Or, you can take the prescription they give you and buy your glasses somewhere else.