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A comprehensive eye examination is important for maintaining healthy vision and should be done at least once a year. Many eye problems, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, have no early symptoms- so regular eye exams are the best way to catch these conditions before they cause serious damage.
During a comprehensive eye exam, the eye doctor will check your vision, eye health, and ask you about any symptoms you may be experiencing. Be sure to tell the doctor about any changes in your vision, as well as any pain or discomfort in your eyes.
The eye doctor will also check your eye pressure, which is important for detecting glaucoma. A comprehensive eye exam usually takes about an hour, and you may need to schedule additional time for dilation if your pupils are not dilating properly.
If you have any concerns about your eye health, or if you are experiencing any vision problems, be sure to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with an eye doctor as soon as possible.
If you have never had a comprehensive eye exam, or it has been more than a year since your last one, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor today.
Common tests that you might have included:
Your doctor will check your eyes using light to ensure the exterior parts of your eyes are functioning correctly. In an external eye exam, your eye doctor checks:
An eye muscle test is done to check the alignment of your eyes. If your eyes are not properly aligned, it can cause eye strain and headaches. During an eye muscle test, the eye doctor will ask you to follow a moving object with your eyes. The doctor will then measure the movement of your eyes and will use this information to determine if your eye muscles are working properly. The eye muscle test usually takes about 10 minutes, and you do not need to prepare for it in any special way.
A visual acuity test is a critical part of a comprehensive eye exam. This test helps to determine how well you can see from a distance. During the visual acuity test, your eye doctor will ask you to read letters or numbers from a specific distance. This test is used to determine the smallest letters you can read on a standardized chart.
The visual acuity test typically consists of the following steps:
1. Your eye doctor will ask you to sit down and place your chin on a support. This will help keep your head still during the test.
2. Your eye doctor will then place a chart with letters or numbers in front of you. The chart will be at a specific distance away from you.
3. You will then be asked to read the letters or numbers on the chart, from largest to smallest.
4. Your eye doctor will record your visual acuity score. This score will help determine how well you can see from a distance.
5. If you have vision problems, your eye doctor may recommend corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses. In some cases, surgery may also be necessary. Make sure to follow your eye doctor's recommendations so that you can see as clearly as possible.
Refraction refers to how light waves are bent as they pass through your cornea and lens. A refraction assessment helps your doctor determine a corrective lens prescription that will give you the sharpest vision. Your doctor will have your look through a phoropter, a device that holds many lenses, and determines which combination of lenses gives you the sharpest vision.
Your doctor may request you have a visual field test along with your comprehensive examination This test is used to determine whether you have difficulty seeing in any areas of your peripheral vision - the areas on the side of your visual field.
A retinal examination - examines the back of your eye, including your retina, optic disc, choroid and blood vessels. We may use special eye drops to dilate your pupils, opening them wider so we can see the back part of your eye. The effects of these drops will not wear off for several hours. Your vision will be blurry, and you'll have trouble focusing your eyes. Depending on your job, you might not be able to return to work immediately after your exam. Your eyes will also be very sensitive to the light so we recommend using sunglasses.
Tonometry measures your intraocular pressure - the pressure inside your eyes. This test in conjunction with other more specific tests such as an OCT, a visual field and a detailed retinal exam will help us determine your risk for the development or progression of glaucoma.
At Denver Eye Surgeons, our doctors are ranked among the nation’s leading ophthalmologists and eye care professionals. All our eye surgeons are board certified and have advanced experience in today’s most innovative treatments. Please feel free to review our ophthalmology website to get the answers to any of your questions. Welcome to Denver Eye Surgeons!
Comprehensive eye examinations are very important not only to determine if you need correction to see well but also to maintain the health of your eye.
