What To Expect When Seeing The
Eye Doctor.
Eye doctors appreciate seeing people who take an active
interest in their own healthy sight. The more you take an active role in
understanding the factors that affect your healthy sight, the better your
relationship with your eye care professional will be.
Here are some of the things you can expect when visiting
the eye doctor.
Medical History:
When you arrive for your first eye exam, you will probably
need to fill out a health history questionnaire so your eye doctor is aware of
any conditions or medications that might affect your eye health. This likely
happens only once, but is an ongoing history. Be sure to update your eye doctor
and professional staff on any changes in your history over time.
Insurance:
Bring your insurance card or other proof of insurance with
you. You might want to find out ahead of time whether payment is required at
time of service.
Vision Testing:
There are many tests you might encounter during an eye
exam. The tests you receive will vary according to whether you are there for a
regular check-up or due to a specific concern or symptom. These tests help the
doctor provide the best vision wear for your needs. Comprehensive tests range
from visual acuity (sharpness) peripheral (side) vision, color vision, and more.
More Vision Testing:
Many eye doctors may have you look through a machine called
a phoropter to show you a series of images – letters, numbers and colors, as
well as lens choices. Your eye doctor will then ask you which of the two lenses
in each choice looks clearer, and flip between changeable lenses to determine
which ones help you see with the most clarity.
The Big E chart:
When many people think "eye exam" they think of the "big E
chart." The big E chart (the Snellen chart) measures visual acuity. It has
become an almost standard first step in determining a proper prescription by
reading progressively smaller lines of text on a chart at a fixed distance from
your eyes.
Additional testing.
Eye Health
A
machine called a biomicroscope shines a light into your eye and allows the
professional to check the overall health of various parts of your eye. (Also
called a sit-down test.)
On occasion, dilating drops are used to get a better view
of the eye’s internal structure.
The doctor uses this part of the examination to check for
eye disease and signs that your long- term vision is at risk. Early detection is
an important part of maintaining overall healthy sight
Ask in advance if dilating drops will be used, as they
cause temporary light sensitivity. You’ll want to protect your eyes with
sunglasses or photochromic lenses on the way home.
Glaucoma
There are a few ways to test for glaucoma—a category of eye
diseases that affect the optic nerve. One involves a puff of air that tests the
pressure inside your eyes. Another involves the introduction of eye drops and an
instrument to test eye pressure. Neither test causes discomfort.