How often should adults get an eye exam in Surrey?

Short answer first

Most healthy adults in Surrey with no risk factors should have a full eye exam every one to two years. Book once a year if you wear contact lenses, have diabetes, have a family history of glaucoma or other eye disease, take medication that can affect the eyes, or are 65 or over. Book sooner than your usual schedule if your vision, comfort, or night driving has changed, and call the same day for anything sudden.

The reason is simple: an optometrist visit is an eye health visit, not only a glasses update. At Guildford Eye Clinic, every comprehensive eye exam in Surrey includes OCT retinal imaging and a clear explanation of what we find. We are inside Specsavers at Guildford Town Centre, a short drive from Fleetwood, Whalley, Newton, Cloverdale, and North Surrey.

Why "my glasses still work" is not the whole story

Many adults book an eye exam only when their glasses stop feeling right. That makes sense if you think of the visit as a prescription check. But the prescription is only one part of what an optometrist looks at.

A lot of what matters in adult eye care happens without any change in how clearly you see. Glaucoma often has no symptoms until side vision is already affected, and vision lost to glaucoma does not come back. Changes at the back of the eye linked to diabetes or high blood pressure can be present while the chart still reads well. Early cataract and macular changes build slowly. You would not notice most of these from the inside, which is why the exam looks for them directly.

So the honest answer to "do I need an eye exam if I see fine?" is yes, on a regular schedule. Seeing fine is good news about your focus. It does not tell you about your optic nerve or retina.

How often adults should book, by situation

These are general guidelines. Your optometrist may suggest a different schedule once they have seen your eyes, and that personal advice takes priority.

• Healthy adult, 19 to 64, no risk factors: every one to two years.
• Contact lens wearer: every year. Lenses sit on the cornea, so the fit and the front of the eye need a regular look. Our contact lens exam page explains what that visit adds.
• Diabetes, type 1 or type 2: every year, even with clear vision. Our guide to what a diabetic eye exam checks walks through why.
• Family history of glaucoma or other eye disease: every year, with OCT comparison from one visit to the next. See glaucoma testing in Surrey.
• High prescription or a past eye condition: follow the schedule your optometrist set at your last visit.
• Age 65 and over: every year, covered yearly by MSP. Our senior eye exam page has the details.

If you are booking for a child, the schedule is different and the visit looks different too. Start with our children's eye exam page.

What changes in your 40s and beyond

Somewhere in their 40s, most people start holding their phone or a menu a little farther away. That is presbyopia, the normal age-related change in the eye's ability to focus up close. It is common, it is not a disease, and it is usually handled with reading glasses, progressive lenses, or multifocal contact lenses.

The 40s are also a good time to stop skipping exams. The risk of glaucoma and other eye health conditions rises with age, and having a baseline OCT scan on file makes it easier to tell later whether something has changed. If your first exam in years is prompted by needing reading glasses, it is worth treating it as a full eye health check, not a quick near-vision fix.

Signs you should book sooner than your usual schedule

You do not need to wait for a reminder if something has changed. Book a regular exam if you notice:

• Blur at distance or near that does not clear with blinking
• Headaches or eye strain after reading or screen work
• Glare, halos, or trouble seeing when driving at night
• Needing more light to read, or holding things farther away
• Eyes that feel dry, gritty, or tired most days. Our dry eye page covers what we look for.
• Contact lenses that have become less comfortable

Some changes should not wait for a booked visit. Call us the same day at (604) 229-9627 for a sudden drop in vision, a new shadow or curtain across your vision, a sudden shower of floaters or flashes of light, or a red, painful eye. For sudden vision loss with face drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech, call 911. Our guide on when to go for emergency eye care in Surrey explains ER versus a same-day optometrist visit, and our emergency eye care page covers what we can see in clinic.

What a comprehensive adult eye exam checks

A comprehensive eye exam is more than reading letters on a chart. At our Guildford Town Centre clinic, an adult exam typically covers:

• Your history: symptoms, screen and work habits, medications, and family eye history.
• Vision and prescription: how clearly you see at distance and near, and whether your glasses need updating. If you only need a copy of your current prescription, see our eyeglass prescription page.
• Eye pressure: one of the measurements used when checking for glaucoma risk.
• The front of the eye: eyelids, cornea, and lens, which is where dry eye and early cataract show up.
• The back of the eye: the retina, macula, and optic nerve.
• OCT retinal imaging: a cross-section scan of the retina and optic nerve, included in every comprehensive exam at no extra charge. Saved scans let us compare one year to the next.

At the end, we explain what we found in plain language and what, if anything, needs follow-up. If something needs a specialist, we explain why and arrange the referral. For a longer walk-through of each step, see what a comprehensive eye exam includes and why OCT is included in our exams.

MSP and cost for adults 19 to 64

For adults 19 to 64 in BC, a routine eye exam is not covered by MSP. A medically necessary visit, such as a red eye, a sudden change in vision, or a referred eye condition, is covered by MSP. We explain which type of visit applies before the exam starts, so you know where you stand.

At Guildford Eye Clinic, a comprehensive adult eye exam is $99 with MSP, with OCT retinal imaging included. We direct bill most insurance plans, and many extended health plans include vision benefits. Anything extra, such as a contact lens fitting or a form you need completed, is explained at the front desk before it is added, so there is no surprise charge at the end. Our guide to eye exam cost in BC and MSP has the full breakdown for every age group.

Making the exam easy to keep on schedule

• Tie it to something yearly, like a birthday or when your work benefits renew.
• Bring every pair of glasses you use, and your contact lens box or details if you wear them.
• Bring a medication list and your BC Services Card.
• Book in your language. Our team provides exams in English, Mandarin, Punjabi, and Korean. See our guide to eye exams in Mandarin, Korean, and Punjabi.
• Book the family together. If a child or parent is also due, ask about back-to-back visits.

Where we are in Surrey

Guildford Eye Clinic is on the upper level of Guildford Town Centre, inside Specsavers: Unit 2309, 10355 152 Street, Surrey, BC V3R 7C1. Mall parking is available. Set your GPS to Specsavers Guildford. After parking, take the mall entrance closest to Scotiabank; Specsavers is the second store on your left.

We are an independent optometry clinic run by Dr. Lin and Dr. Xue Optometry. Specsavers is the retail dispensary in the same space, and we provide the clinical care. Book online any time for a routine adult eye exam, or call (604) 229-9627 first if your vision changed suddenly.

Adult eye exam FAQ

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for a personalized eye examination or emergency care. If you think you have a serious eye injury, sudden vision loss, or stroke warning signs, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Coverage details can change; confirm current MSP rules when you call.