Regularly scheduled comprehensive eye exams are an important part of your overall eye health. Early detection of any visual problems is key to maintaining your vision and eye exams can even detect certain diseases. A typical eye exam may take up to an hour or more, depending on the number and complexity of tests required to fully evaluate your eye health. Optometrists and ophthalmologists use a wide variety of tests to examine your eyes.
Some people are a little nervous about visiting the eye doctor, and it helps to know what to expect. That's why we've come up with this comprehensive guide to eye exams: everything you need to know.
Medical History
Before any examination even begins, your eye doctor will need to gather relevant information about your medical history to get a better overall view of your eye and general health.
Your optometrist may ask you questions such as:
Does anyone in your family have a history of eye disease?
Are you taking any medications?
Do you wear glasses or contacts?
Have you experienced any vision problems?
Do you have any concerns about your vision?
Visual Acuity Test
Your eye exam usually starts with a visual acuity test. This is the familiar test where you are asked to read letters or symbols off a chart from a distance. You may be asked to cover one eye at a time. This test determines how well you see from a distance and helps your eye doctor determine if you require corrective lenses. For those managing diabetes, diabetic eye exams in Winnipeg and Edmonton are crucial, as they help detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy and other vision issues related to diabetes, ensuring your eye health is closely monitored.
Refraction Test
A refraction test assesses how light bends as it moves through the cornea and the lens of your eyes. Your eye doctor may do this test with or without the help of a computerized machine. For a computerized test, you will look through the machine that will measure the amount of light reflected by your retina. Or, your doctor will simply shine a light into each of your eyes, observing the amount of light that's bouncing off your retina to measure your refractive score.
Next, you'll be seated in front of a piece of equipment called a Phoroptor. The device looks like a large mask with holes for eyes to look through. First, you'll be asked to read letters off of a chart about 20 feet in front of you. Then your optometrist will switch out the lenses you look through and ask you each time which lens is clearer.
A visual refraction test determines whether you have hyperopia (farsightedness) or myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism (an imperfection in the curvature of the eye), or presbyopia (the gradual loss of your eye's ability to focus on nearby objects). This is also the test your optometrist uses to determine your exact eyeglass prescription.
Slit Lamp Test
A slit lamp test allows your eye doctor to see every part of your eyes, including inside them. Using a special microscope with a bright light attached, your optometrist will look into different parts of your eyes, including the pupils, irises, corneas, and other structures of the eye. A slit lamp exam gives your eye care specialist a look at your overall eye health and can catch early signs of certain eye conditions such as cataracts or glaucoma.
Perimetry Test
A perimetry test also called a visual field test, shows how wide an area your eye can see when you focus on a central point. This test is simple to perform: you look straight ahead at a certain point, and your eye doctor will move an object (perhaps their finger or a flashlight) somewhere off to either side or from the top or bottom of your vision. You will let your doctor know when you see the object. This tests your peripheral vision, how sensitive your vision is in different parts of your visual field, and if you are experiencing any vision loss in either eye.
Retinal Exam
Your eye doctor may choose to dilate your pupils with eye drops to perform a retinal examination. This allows them to see the entire interior of the eye in detail, including the retina, optic nerves, and blood vessels. With retinal imaging, your eye specialist can take a digital picture of the back of your eye to fully evaluate the retina, optic nerve, and macula. A retinal exam can detect signs of eye disease such as retinopathy, macular degeneration, or retinal detachments.
Scheduling an annual comprehensive eye exam is the best way to maintain your visual health. Many people think they don't need an eye exam if they're not currently experiencing any issues with their vision. However, there are often no noticeable early warning signs of vision problems or eye disease. By undergoing regular eye exams, you can detect any visual problems in their early stages and receive appropriate treatment. To schedule your eye exam, contact us today at Prairie Eye Care!
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