We often make the analogy between teeth and eyes (we're sad like that I suppose). Its just that we often see a very different mindset where teeth and eyes are concerned. Usually, teeth take precedence. Most people see their dentist at least once a year - often every 6 months - yet see their optician once every 2 years at best (and often much longer than that). It could be because we've all experienced toothache and know how bad it can be. Prevention is better than cure and that regular trip to the dentist will mean no terrible aches and gobbling painkillers until the dentist can see you.
With eyes, its different. Few eye conditions actually hurt. In most cases the damage is being done without you even being aware of it (glaucoma is one such insidious condition). Often it is associated conditions like headaches and migraines that people are aware of - your eyes don't tend to give you much grief in the way of direct pain.
If your eyesight has failed slightly, the only indication is that what once was clear is now less clear, but that change of prescription has come on so slowly that people are often not aware of the lack of clarity until a life experience triggers it (usually not being able to see the ticker tape on Sky Sports!). So people get on with their lives blithely unaware of failing eyesight, eye strain or worse.
Which takes us back to teeth. The smallest hole in a molar can have you roaring like a bear and calling the dentist at 3 in the morning for relief. But what if eyes worked the same way? If your prescription was slightly out, you'd feel a constant stabbing pain in the back of your eye until you changed your glasses? If your eye pressure went up slightly, a dull throbbing ache all over the eyeball until relieved? If so, there would be a queue outside every opticians a mile long!
The point is that because we don't feel the same pain, we don't have the same priority. Yet our eyes are so much more important than our teeth. Just close your eyes for a second and do something you'd normally do - reach for the mouse, pick up your phone, type something... not easy if you can't see. And as your eyes rarely let you know there may be a problem, then the only sure way is booking a regular eye test.