Submitted by Eye Surgical Associates
Anyone over the age of 40 should have a baseline comprehensive eye exam even if you do not have any vision problems. There are many early signs of eye diseases — including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration — that often do not noticeably affect the vision until later in life.
By age 65, one in three Americans will have a vision-impairing eye disease. The earlier these are discovered and treatment begins, the better the chance of preserving good vision.
What should be checked in an eye exam?
A comprehensive eye exam is relatively simple and comfortable. The exam will include checks on the following items:
- Your medical history. This will include your overall health, family medical history, medications, etc.
Your visual acuity. This is the part of an eye exam most people know. You will be asked to read a standardized eye chart to determine how well you see far away and up close. The test is performed on one eye at a time by covering the eye not being tested. - Your pupils. Your pupils will be checked to see how they respond to light. If one or both of your pupils respond by dilating (widening) instead of constricting (becoming smaller) or there is a lack of response either way, this may indicate an underlying problem.
- Your side vision. Loss of side vision is a symptom of glaucoma. Because you may lose side vision without knowing it, this test can identify eye problems that you aren’t even aware of.
- Your eye movement. This test, called ocular motility, evaluates the movement of your eyes. Your eye doctor will want to ensure proper eye alignment and ocular muscle function. Various motility tests measure the eyes and their ability to move.
- Your prescription for glasses or contacts. You will view an eye chart through a device called a phoropter, which contains different lenses. The phoropter can help determine the best prescription to correct any refractive error you may have, such as near or far sightedness and/or astigmatism.
- Your eye pressure. This test, called tonometry, measures the pressure within your eye (intraocular eye pressure, or IOP). Elevated IOP is a sign of glaucoma.
- The front part of your eye (anterior segment). A type of microscope called a slit lamp is used to illuminate the front part of the eye, including the eyelids, cornea, iris, and lens. This allows the doctor to check the health of your eye.
- Your retina and optic nerve (posterior segment). You may have drops put in your eye to dilate, or widen, your eye. This will allow your eye doctor to thoroughly examine your retina and optic nerve, located at the back of your eye, for signs of damage from disease.
You may have additional testing to further examine your eyes using specialized imaging techniques such as an OCT, topography, or fundus photos. These tests can be crucial in diagnosing a disease in its early stages and allow your doctor to detect abnormalities in the back of the eye, on the eye’s surface, or inside the eye.
Who does eye exams and what is the difference between vision specialists?
- An Ophthalmologist (MD) has a medical degree and is licensed to practice medicine and perform eye surgery. An ophthalmologist has had at least 12 years of education and training beyond high school and is qualified to diagnose and treat all eye diseases, perform surgery, and prescribe and fit glasses and contact lenses.
- An Optometrist (OD) has a degree in optometry and is licensed to practice optometry. An optometrist has had at least six years of education and training beyond high school and is qualified to determine the need for glasses and contact lenses, prescribe optical correction, and screen for some eye conditions.
- An Optician usually has a combination of college (or two years of optician school) and on-the-job training. An optician is trained to fit and dispense eyeglasses or contact lenses based upon a prescription from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist.
If you would like more information or to schedule a comprehensive eye exam, contact ESA, Eye Surgical Associates, at 309-662-7700. Ophthalmologists Daniel Brownstone, Catharine Crockett, Scott Pinter, and Optometrist Kathleen Vize will be happy to see you. ESA is located at 1505 Eastland Drive Suite 2200 Bloomington, IL.