COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMS

Did you know a comprehensive eye exam with your doctor of optometry  doesn’t just determine if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses? In  fact, your doctor also carefully looks at all aspects of your eye  health through several noninvasive eye  tests, which can help provide a clearer picture of your overall health. Like yearly checkups with a  family doctor, it’s very important to have routine eye exams with an  optometrist. 

Many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms, so you  might not know a problem exists. Early diagnosis and treatment of eye  and vision problems can help prevent permanent damage This is why having  yearly comprehensive eye exams is the best way to stay on top of your  overall eye health. They allow you and your eye doctor to catch any  issues before they can lead to vision loss.

Plus, a comprehensive  eye exam could even alert you to other types of health concerns. Routine  eye exams can detect the early signs of over 270 different systemic  conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and cancers.. Many people are able to take important preventive steps for  their health due to early warnings from their eye exams. In fact, getting a comprehensive eye exam is the only way to visualize the blood vessels behind the eye for issues without an x-ray, CT scan or invasive surgery.

Specialized equipment and procedures, which are not available as part  of a vision screening program, are needed to adequately evaluate eyes  and vision.

Only a doctor of optometry or ophthalmologist can conduct a  comprehensive eye and vision examination. These doctors have the  specialized training necessary to make a definitive diagnosis and  prescribe treatment.

A comprehensive adult eye examination includes:

• Visual acuity test: This helps to determine how well you are seeing and usually involves reading letters off a chart on the wall.
• Pressure testing: This checks the pressure of your eye and helps to ensure you are not developing certain diseases, such as glaucoma.
• Visual field test: This test will check your vision for possible blind spots.
• Testing refraction: This test involves finding the lens power needed for you to see clearly.
• Colorblindness test: This will show your doctor if you are having trouble perceiving certain colors.
• Eye dilation: For this, your doctor will administer special eye drops to temporarily  expand the pupil. This allows them to see what's going on inside the eye  and make sure all the structures are healthy.
• Stereopsis exam: This tests for depth perception. 

Vision screening programs can't substitute for regular professional  vision care. Children or adults who pass a vision screening could still  have an eye health or vision problem. Comprehensive eye examinations are  the only effective way to confirm or rule out any eye disease or vision  problem.