It’s a New Year. Have You Scheduled Your Annual Eye Exam?

A new year is a great time to reassess your priorities and set goals. Becoming more fit, eating healthy, and achieving career success are often at the top of the list. But don’t neglect your eye health while pondering self-improvement strategies for 2026.

Cataract & Vision Center of Hawaii welcomes you for your eye exam any time of year, and you can reserve your appointment now. At our Honolulu, Hawaii, office, one of our optometrists performs a comprehensive eye exam to assess your eye health and vision.

Here’s why an annual eye exam should be on your list of New Year’s resolutions.

The importance of an eye exam

An annual eye exam lets you know that your eyes are functioning optimally, and it helps us identify and address any concerns so that doesn’t change. Our experts can detect problems you may not notice on your own.

At your annual exam, our team can also fine-tune your vision by updating your prescription for glasses or contact lenses. Even if you have 20/20 vision and don’t currently need glasses or contact lenses, an annual eye exam includes tests that can detect early signs of:

Macular degeneration
Cataracts
Glaucoma
Diabetic retinopathy
Dry eyes
Retinal tears or detachment

Without treatment, many eye conditions can cause a partial or total loss of vision. In many cases, the vision you lose doesn’t come back, so early treatment is imperative to preserve the clarity of your eyesight.

What you can expect

If you’ve never had an eye exam before, the process is quick and easy. You can cross it off your New Year’s to-do list in no time.

It starts with a patient history, just like when you visit your primary care doctor. Our team refers back to the results of any previous exams and tests. They also ask you to discuss your overall health and any new symptoms or changes in your vision.

Next comes the visual acuity test, where you read letters on a chart from various distances. Using your results, we can update your prescription for glasses or contact lenses.

We conduct preliminary tests to assess color vision, peripheral vision, light sensitivity, and other eye functions. We measure the curvature of your cornea using keratometry, which can detect a common refractive error called astigmatism.

Refraction, the next step in your exam, determines the lens power you need to treat refractive errors like astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness.

Finally, your provider evaluates your eye health by examining the structures within and around your eye using microscopes and other digital technology. They might use dilating eye drops to expand your pupils temporarily for a better view inside.

If you do receive these drops, have someone drive you home after your appointment.