Comprehensive Eye Exams
Regular eye and vision examinations are important in preventing vision loss, as many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms. Each patient’s signs and symptoms, along with your eye specialists’ professional judgment, will determine what tests to be conducted.
A comprehensive adult eye examination may include, but is not limited to, the following tests:
Patient History
The eye specialist will ask a serious questions to find out your needs. A patient history will include symptoms and onset of any eye or vision problems that you are currently having, your overall general health, medications you are taking, any work-related or environmental conditions that may be affecting your vision, and even any previous eye or health conditions you and your family members have experienced.
Visual Acuity
Visual acuity measurements evaluate how clearly each of your eyes is seeing at both far and near. Reading charts are specifically used to measure visual acuity for near work.
Normal distance visual acuity is 20/20 or 6/6.
Preliminary Tests
Your eye specialist may first want to look at specific aspects of your visual function and eye health. Preliminary tests can include evaluations of depth perception (ability to appreciate 3D), color vision, eye muscle movements, peripheral or side vision, and the way your pupils respond to light.
Auto-refractor and Refraction
Refraction determines the lens power you need to compensate for any refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism).
Your eye specialist may choose to use an instrument called Auto-refractor that automatically evaluates the focusing power of the eye. The lens power is then refined based your input on the lenses that give you the clearest vision.
Eye Health Evaluation
Supplemental testing
Additional testing may be needed based on the results of the previous tests to confirm or rule out possible problems, to clarify uncertain findings, or to provide a more in-depth assessment.
Management plans
At the completion of the examination, your eye specialist will assess and evaluate the results of the testing to determine a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. He or she will discuss with you the nature of any visual or eye health problems found and explain available treatment options.
In some cases, referral for consultation with, or treatment by, another optometrist or other health care provider may be indicated.
If you have any questions about any eye or vision conditions, or treatment recommendations, don’t hesitate to ask your eye specialists for additional information or explanation.
