Eye diseases usually manifest their early warning signs around age 40, which is also the age the American Academy of Ophthalmology now recommends getting a baseline eye disease screening. Even adults with no symptoms or risk factors should still get a baseline screening at 40. “Much like mammograms at 40 or colon screenings at 50, this new eye disease screening is a reminder to adults as they age that they need to maintain their eye health,” according to www.geteyesmart.org, a Website affiliated with the Academy. 
 

The new age recommendation should not replace patients’ current treatments or check-ups, but it does give both patients and eye care professionals a head start on maintaining the quality and longevity of vision. 
 

The advantage of eye disease screenings, according to geteyesmart.org, is that they can not only uncover eye maladies in the early stages, but also “evidence of many forms of systemic disease that affect the eyes, like hypertension and diabetes.” 

 For more information, visit http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/know/screening.cfm.