How long is it since you last had an eye exam? It's a question worth asking yourself, even if your vision isn't bothering you now. Remember that your eyes won't always tell you what's wrong with them, but they can tell an optometrist plenty about your vision, and your general health too. Usually, sitting through a comprehensive eye exam every 2 years will be enough to ensure that your eyes stay healthy and your vision sharp, but you may need to go more often if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or glaucoma—even if you aren’t due for a while. Here are a few tell-tale signs that say your eyes need checking over.

1. Sudden Blurred Vision or Difficulties with Focusing

These can be a sign of a more serious health issue and shouldn’t be dismissed. If the blurred vision comes and goes, or is limited to one eye, you should book an exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist as soon as you can.

2. Sudden appearance of eye floaters, flashes of light, or obstructed vision.

The sudden appearance of any of these could point to very serious, vision-threatening disorder such as retinal detachment, tear or hole, and they should really set the alarm bells ringing. Don't hesitate to seek immediate medical assessment by an optometrist, ophthalmologist or emergency room doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

3. Vision Blurring Over Time

Less dramatic, this one. If you start noticing that you’re having to move a book or the computer screen further away from your eyes so you can focus, it’s probably age related changes that need attention.

4. Headaches

If you start getting more headaches than usual, a vision problem might be the culprit. Changes in vision can take place so slowly that you don't notice at first, but headaches can let you know sooner that something is wrong and requires professional scrutiny.

5. Eye Pain or Strain

A little eye strain is sometimes just a normal response to things like too much TV, a few late nights or the onset of seasonal allergies. If you feel ongoing eye pain for more than a few days, or it happens when you move your eyes around, this is a definite red flag to get it checked out. It might just be an eye infection, or then again it might not. The mantra to remember for this and all the other examples here is simple. If it's changed, then get it checked!

6. Squinting

Squinting reduces extraneous light entering the eye and reduces light scattering, which means you see better. If you notice your child squinting they may need eyeglasses. Having a squint as well as "lazy eye" is a definite call to action, and even more so with children. If it's not caught soon enough, it may mean permanent damage to vision.

7. Sensitivity to Light

If you suddenly find that light seems brighter than before, and there's no reason for it, get an eye exam. It could point to a few possible disorders.

8. Eye Infection

Swelling of the eyelids, itchiness, redness or a pink tinge to the whites of your eyes, and/or discharge might mean an eye infection. Best to have it looked at.

If nothing on this list has bothered you lately, then great. Be glad you're okay! But even though you feel well, consider that diabetes and hypertension can show up from an eye exam. Your eyes aren't just a window to your soul, they're a window on your health. And if you find you need glasses for the first time, or just replacements for your old ones, why not reward yourself with a pair of designer frames? After all, there's no reason why you shouldn't see and be seen.