All About Eye Exams
ROUTINE EYE EXAMS
Most eye care experts recommend that you have a complete eye exam every one to three years, depending on your age, risk factors and whether you currently wear corrective lenses.
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), children generally should have their first eye exam at six months of age, another exam at age three and again at the start of school. Risk-free children should then continue to have their eyes examined every two years until age 18. Children with risk factors for vision problems may need their first eye exam earlier and more frequent eye exams throughout childhood.
To maintain a lifetime of healthy vision, the AOA recommends a comprehensive eye exam every two years for adults ages 18 to 60, and annual exams for contact lense wearers, those with risk factors like a family history of eye disease (glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc.), diabetes or high blood pressure, a visually demanding occupation (or one that may pose hazards to the eyes), those taking prescription or non-prescription drugs that may have visual or eye-related side effects and those with previous eye injuries or surgeries. Seniors 61 and older are also encouraged to have their eyes examined every year to keep up with the rapid changes that come with ageing.
In addition to evaluating your eyes for glasses and contacts, our doctors will check for eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss. Here are some examples of the conditions that we'll be looking for:
•Refractive error: This refers to your prescription, including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Refractive error is corrected with eyeglasses, contacts or refractive surgery.
•Amblyopia: This occurs when the eyes are turned or when one eye has a much different prescription than the other. The brain will "shut off" the image from the turned or blurry eye. Left untreated, amblyopia can stunt the visual development of the affected eye, resulting in permanent vision impairment.
•Strabismus: Defined as crossed or turned eyes. The examiner will check your eyes' alignment to be sure that they are working together. Strabismus causes problems with depth perception and can lead to amblyopia.
•Eye teaming problems: Even if you eyes appear to be properly aligned, it's possible they do not work together efficiently as a team. Such binocular vision problems can cause headaches, eyestrain and other problems that can affect reading and other near vision tasks.
•Focusing problems: These problems can range from incompletely developed focusing skills in children to normal age-related declines in focusing ability (presbyopia) among older adults.
•Eye diseases: Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, have no symptoms in their early stages. Our doctors will check the health of your eyes inside and out for signs of early problems. In most cases, early detection and treatment of eye diseases can help reduce your risk for permanent vision loss.
•Other diseases: Developing problems with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other problems can be found during a routine eye exam.
CONTACT LENSE EYE EXAMS
If you wear contact lenses, or are thinking about trying them, be sure to mention it at the time you schedule your appointment. A contact lense exam takes more time and requires different or additional testing, including but not limited to measurements of the curvature of your eyes and your ability to produce tears.
If the doctor determines that contact lenses are right for you, he or she will provide a pair of trial lenses and schedule you for a follow-up visit before a prescription is finalized. In addition, our professional staff will train you how to correctly insert and remove your new contact lenses before you leave the office.
Some patients find the transition to contacts smooth and easy, while others may need to return two or more times to find the right fit and power of lenses.
There are many brands and types of contact lenses available, with variations that include disposable, multifocal, extended wear, and colored versions and most vision insurance plans offer benefits for contact lens wearers.
Please note: Medicaid programs do not pay for contact lens exams or contact lenses themselves.
Information courtesy of www.allaboutvision.com
