What to Expect During an Eye Exam

Your eyes are one of your most valuable assets yet, so few people understand the importance of scheduling an eye exam. You should be having an eye exam at least every two years for yourself and annually for your children. An eye exam is an easy process that will not be painful or scary and only takes up a short amount of time. Your eye exam provides a comprehensive examination of your visual ability, vision and eye health. You can expect to undergo the following at your eye examination:

History

A history will be taken including your past and current medical information as well as that of your family. This will allow your optometrist to see if you are at risk for any common eye conditions. They will then review incidences of any conditions you might have had or currently have regarding your eyes as well as the prescriptions you have for your current eye wear and any other relevant information such as eye care you may be receiving with another eye doctor.

Examinations

There are typically four examinations that will be performed at your appointment depending on your age. A visual acuity examination is the eye chart exam that has a varying degree of sizes that will help your optometrist gauge your clearness of vision. They will then also do an ocular motility exam which will determine the movement, reflexes and tracking of your eyes. A slit lamp examination will look at the anterior segment of your eye to check for any eye conditions. An ophthalmoscopy will look at the fundus of the eye and other structures to look for symptoms such as retinal detachment or glaucoma.

Prescriptions

If your optometrist discovers any visual challenges they will then use a phoropter or similar device to determine the rate of refractive error and determine the standards and measurements required for any required prescriptions. This is the unusual contraption you will look through that allows the optometrist to test a series of lenses and settings to determine if you require any corrective prescriptions or need a change a current prescription.

At the end of your eye exam your optometrist will discusses care, prescriptions and any required follow up. In the case of any potential issues or conditions they may also provide you with a referral.

You can receive an eye exam at Laurier Optical on Innes Rd. for only $70!