For an individual in good health with no vision problems an eye exam every two or three years should be fine.  Young children should have an eye exam every year as young eyes change and glasses prescriptions should be monitored for best vision.  Young children should also be evaluated for early signs of myopia. New research is showing that early intervention may prevent myopic progression in children. Individuals with diabetes or other significant medical problems should have their eyes examined annually. Patients with medical eye conditions may need to have their eyes evaluated several times per year. If you’re a contact lens wearer having your eyes checked once a year is a very important way to make sure your eyes are healthy and not being compromised by contact lens over wear. Patients don’t often realize that contact lens wear can affect the thickness and clarity of the cornea and can also irritate the palpebral conjunctiva under the lids that come in contact with your contact lenses. An annual eye exam will catch these problems and suggest changes before they become more serious issues.