Regular eye exams are essential to eye health and optimal vision. They can provide valuable preventive vision care and early treatment options for existing eye conditions. Vision impairment symptoms are not always evident, and so regular comprehensive eye exams are essential in the maintenance of good vision.
There are some possible measurements can be performed during a comprehensive eye exam. The measurements performed are specific to each patient, their history, and their symptoms and are decided by the optometrist.
Preliminary Eye Measurements
The doctor’s staff will likely measure your color vision, perform lensometry (measuring your existing eyeglass prescription), autorefraction (an estimate of well your eyes focus light), auto-keratometry (a curvature measurement of the cornea), tonometry (reading your internal eye pressure). All these help the doctor diagnose eye health and vision conditions, which may or may not be symptomatic.
The more advanced practices will perform digital retinal imaging and ocular coherence tomography (OCT). However, almost all clinics charge an additional fee for these measurements due to the cost of these technologies.
Other Measurements That May Be Performed
Visual Acuity Eye Chart
The visual acuity eye chart reading is used to evaluate how each eye is seeing and to measure visual acuity measures the eye’s ability to resolve a high contrast character and is useful in allowing the eye doctor gauge the magnitude of your eyeglass prescription if any. The measurement involves reading letters and numbers of varying sizes.
Refraction
Refractive error refers to light not focusing well into the eye, leading to blurry vision. This may be due to nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Refraction determines the lens power needed to compensate for the refractive error and it involves the patient’s response to a series of strategically presented lens choices. An instrument called a phoropter is used by the optometrist to introduce lenses in front of the eye. Some advanced clinics use a digital phoropter, which makes the selection of choices easier for patients and allows for a precise comparison of the old versus new prescription.
Eye Health Evaluation
The evaluation of eye health includes using a slit-lamp biomicroscope, which provides the doctor with a microscopic evaluation of the front eye structures. The inside of the eye can be evaluated using special lenses. In some cases, the doctor will need to perform a dilated eye examination, whether the pupils of the eyes are enlarged using eye drops, permitting a larger opening for the doctor to view into the eye.
At the time of your eye exam, your optometrist will determine which additional measurements are required based on their initial findings. These measurements can help to confirm or rule out possible problems, clarify uncertain results, and provide a more in-depth assessment.
Your optometrist will evaluate your symptoms and exam findings to determine a diagnosis. It would help if you understood any irregularities in the results along with the treatment options available. Eye health can provide insight into general health. If your optometrist discovers eye or health problems that need special treatment that they cannot offer, they will refer you to another health care provider.
How We Can Help
ReVision Optometry is a San Diego based eye care center that that specializes in prescribes specialty contact lenses including scleral lenses for keratoconus, Corneal Refractive Therapy, and prosthetic contact lenses. Contact us today to book in for a comprehensive eye exam at our San Diego eye care center, and to find out about the latest developments in eye care treatment and technology.