Your eyes need more than refraction to stay healthy. A comprehensive eye exam is the equivalent of a physical exam for the eye because it looks at the entire eye and the visual system as a whole. The procedure checks for common eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic-related diseases. The comprehensive eye exam makes sure that the patient’s eyes are healthy and properly functioning so they could have a clear future.
Examination includes (but is not limited to) the following:
- Case history tells past and present visions and medical issues including the medications, vitamins and supplements that the patient is taking, as well as detailed family medical history.
- Analysis of the patient’s visual demands at home, work, school, and play. In order to accurately define these, questions about the patient’s school/work environment and other activities may be asked.
- Measures visual acuity of each eye, determines the responsiveness individually and together, both with and without corrective lenses at near and far.
- Diagnosis and Prescription of the refractive status checks the efficiency and focusing power of the eye through a combination of objective (measurements) and subjective (patient responses) techniques.
- Checking the state of the eye inside and out using a biomicroscope, ophthalmoscope, and a dilated eye examination when necessary.
- Neurological Assessment of the Visual System includes a review of the pupil reactions, ocular motility, and an assessment of the peripheral vision.
- All test results are used in the final analysis. This is to determine what prescription lenses are appropriate for treating refractive and visual problems, to develop a program of eye training exercises, and/or to recommend medical or surgical treatment.
- The history of eye health and results of the examination are basis for recommendation of future eye care.
- The Doctor of Optometry’s professional knowledge, experience, and judgment are final analysis of the eye exam.
** An individual presenting signs and symptoms, along with professional judgment of the Optometrist may significantly influence the tests**