Q: Should my 70-year-old father get checked for glaucoma?
A: Senior citizens, 65 years or older, should have an ocular examination performed by an ophthalmologist every one to two years at a minimum, even without any existing risk factors.
More frequent examinations are warranted, even if no ocular symptoms are present, for any individual at higher risk for developing eye disease. These risk factors may be based not only on ocular history but also upon medical history such as diabetes mellitus, family history such as diabetes, or race in which certain conditions are much more prevalent.
Dr. James Maisel, M.D., has practiced as a retina specialist for over 20 years.