Did you know that upwards of 11 million Americans could currently be seeing better, if only they had their eyes checked and obtained corrective lenses? You might be one of them, or one of the countless others who is wearing an outdated prescription.
It’s recommended that adults see an optometrist at least once every two years, but most of us, of course, only see the eye doc when we’re having a serious problem, all the while experiencing the world as a little blurry when it could be crystal clear.
Check out this video to see if it’s time for you to go in for an eye exam! While it is, of course, not quite a diagnostic tool, it might be a good indicator of whether or not it’s time to get a professional opinion.
…Just kidding! That was actually a hearing test. If you couldn’t hear that high pitched noise that played in the background throughout the “eye test,” it’s time to schedule an appointment for a hearing loss screening.
Why disguise a hearing test as an eye exam? According to the Union Hearing Aid Centre, which produced the video, most people are far more willing to admit that they need glasses than a hearing aid, even though both vision and hearing deteriorate with age.
In fact, just under a third of people above the age of 65 experience hearing loss, and roughly 14% of people between 45 and 64 have lost some of their hearing ability.
Hearing loss isn’t limited to older adults, either – roughly 8 million Americans between age 18 and 45 have already lost some of their hearing.
Current recommendations suggest that adults get their ears checked at least once every ten years, and once every three years after the age of 50. Have you had your hearing tested in that time frame, or are you overdue for an exam?
Sources:
- https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Who-Should-be-Screened/
- https://www.cdc.gov/features/healthyvision/
- https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/what-to-expect-checkup-eye-exam-adults