Physical Exam Frequency

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Over the age of 65

• Have an eye exam every 2 years. Make sure that you have tonometry done to check for glaucoma.
• Go to the dentist every year.
• Have your blood pressure checked every year.
• Have your hearing tested every year.
• If your cholesterol level is normal, have it rechecked every 3 to 5 years.
• Have a yearly physical exam. With each exam, you should have your height and weight checked. Routine diagnostic tests are not recommended unless your doctor finds an abnormality in your history or physical exam.
• Have a yearly rectal exam to check for colorectal cancer and prostate cancer. You should also have a stool guaiac test done every year.
• Every 3 to 5 years have a sigmoidoscopy exam or every 10 years have a colonoscopy. During this test, your health care provider will insert a telescope-like tube into a portion of your colon to check for cancer.
• WOMEN should perform a monthly breast self-exam. If you are not sure what you should be looking for, contact your health care provider for instruction.
• WOMEN should continue to have a yearly pelvic exam and Pap smear done to check for cervical cancer and other disorders. If your Pap smears are negative for three years in a row, have your Pap smear done every 1 to 3 years.
• WOMEN over the age of 50 should have a mammogram done every year to check for breast cancer.
• Get the following vaccinations:
  • After age 65, get a pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal vaccine - polyvalent).
  • After age 50, get a flu shot (influenza vaccine) every year.
  • Get a tetanus-diptheria booster (TD vaccine) every 10 years.