Eye Exams
What Happens During An Eye Exam
At EyeCEyeCare, care is at the heart of everything we do. Our eye doctors understand each patient has a different story, which is why they take the time to learn about you to better cater to your eye care needs. Before coming in, here are answers to a few commonly asked questions:
Eye exams typically last around 30-45 minutes. However, it’s important to note that time will vary depending on the types of tests needed. For example, if you’re interested in contact lenses your eye doctor will need to conduct a contact lens fitting to ensure you get the correct prescription for your eye.
Each patient’s unique symptoms, along with our professional judgment, will determine what tests you receive during your visit. A comprehensive adult eye and vision examination may include a number of tests. The most common tests are listed here:
Patient Receiving Rx:
Visual Acuity
- Used to determine the smallest letters you can read on the Snellen chart.
Keratometry
- Measures the curvature of the cornea to determine any possible signs of astigmatism.
Cover test
- Examines eye movement and perception to determine whether one eye is working harder than the other
Ocular movement testing
- Measures eye movement in response to images, light, and other triggers.
Refraction
- Measures a person’s prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Additional Tests Offered During an Eye Exam
Color blindness
- Screening and quantitative tests to diagnose any color vision deficiency
Refraction
- Measures a person’s prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses
Glaucoma testing
- Regular check-ups are encouraged to pick up on early signs of potential vision loss.
Cornea Measurements
- The curvature of the front of the eye will be measured to inform the proper curve and size of the contact lens.
Pupil Measurements
- The size of the pupil is measured to help inform the appropriate size of the contact lenses.
Tear Film Evaluation
- A tear film evaluation test may be provided to ensure that the eyes are not too dry for contact lenses. This may be done by inserting a small strip of paper under the lower eyelid, or using fluorescein dye to the eye.
Evaluation of the eyes surface and fit
- A slit lamp will be used to provide the optometrist a highly magnified view of the cornea and other tissues to ensure that contact lens wear hasn’t effected the health of your eyes.
The American Optometry Association recommends an annual eye exam to help identify any changes in your vision early on and ensure your eyes are in good health. Yearly exams can help detect any health problems with your eyes before symptoms become severe. If you experience any sudden changes in your vision such as dark areas around your field of vision, pain, or vision loss, see an eye doctor immediately. These symptoms can be an indicator of other underlying health issues and should be checked immediately, which is one the reasons why eye exams are important.
Be prepared to answer questions relating to any eye health problems you have experienced, past and present. These can include:
- When your eye or vision symptoms began
- Any work-related or environmental conditions that may be affecting your vision.
- Any previous eye or health conditions you and your family members have experienced.
- History of health and eye issues in family.
- Health insurance cards and information – bringing your healthcare information will expedite the process and make filling paperwork out easier.
- A list of medications you’re currently taking. It’s important that your eye doctor knows what medications you’re on, even the ones that may not seem relevant to your eyesight.
- Your current eyewear and prescription – this includes the glasses that you use daily, reading glasses, and sunglasses.
- It’s important that your optometrist knows what medications you are on, even the ones that may not seem relevant to your eyesight.
- General understanding of your family’s eye history.
Ensuring that your eyes receive the genuine quality of care they deserve is our ultimate priority, which is why at EyeCEyeCare, we work to make the payment process as stress free as possible. We work with all major health and benefits plans, including EyeMed, VSP, and UnitedHealthcare. You can also use your Flexible Spending Account for your eye exam. For more information on the insurance we accept, please review our insurance policy page or contact our office in Mississauga.
Why Your Eye Health Is Vital
You may think your vision is fine, but there’s still a very good reason to get an eye exam*–your overall health. Your retinas contain many nerves and small blood vessels, making them a great diagnostic tool for early disease detection. This is why getting a thorough eye exam that checks for more than vision correction is one of the best things you can do for your health. In fact, some estimate that a recent study revealed that surveyed patients with high cholesterol saved a staggering $1.7 billion on treatment through early detection from their eye doctor. Keep reading to learn what your eyes could be trying to tell you with five diagnoses an eye exam can uncover.
1. Diabetes – Even if you feel perfectly healthy, you can never know what’s looming below the surface. An estimated 54 million Americans have pre-diabetes and most don’t even know it. An unfortunate statistic because even at the very early stages of pre-diabetes, a quick look at the blood vessels in your eye can help your eye doctor diagnose diabetes or pre-diabetes. And, the earlier you detect diseases like diabetes, the better chance you have of making positive lifestyle changes and preventing further complications. The telltale sign is called diabetic retinopathy and it can be detected when doctors find light hemorrhaging (bleeding) or small fluid leaks in the capillaries.
2. Glaucoma – Ever wonder what that puff of air during your eye exam is for? It’s called non-contact tonometry, or NCT, and it calculates your intraocular pressure. High pressure puts you at risk for glaucoma. Measuring this regularly is extremely important because glaucoma doesn’t typically show symptoms until you’re already suffering from significant vision loss. Another reason why 20/20 vision doesn’t make you exempt from your next eye exam.
3. Heart Disease – Did you know the eye is the only place in the human body where doctors can get an unobstructed view of your blood vessels? Not the coolest fact to share at parties, but it’s very important when it comes to early detection of cardiovascular disease. Doctors can view small changes in the blood vessels in the back of your eye. This can be even easier and more effective with recent advancements such as digital retinal imaging, which allows for an even more thorough monitoring.
4. Sickle Cell Anemia – Sickle cell anemia is another disease that rarely shows visual symptoms in the early stages. One of the ways eye doctors might diagnose this in an eye exam is through vascular occlusion—the blockage of a blood vessel, usually with a clot. Catching and treating this early could help guard you against possible hemorrhaging in the eye, retinal detachment, or other symptoms.
5. Colon Polyps – You read that right–doctors can find colon problems by looking at your eyes. If yours finds retinal lesions with scarring that weren’t caused by an external eye injury, the next step is to check your family history for colon problems.
Whether you wear glasses or have perfect 20/20 vision, you can see why it’s important to schedule annual eye exams*, and why it’s important your doctor performs a thorough eye exam that goes beyond getting your prescription right to check your overall health. And with the new year coming in, it may be a good time to use your vision benefits, as many plans expire on December 1st. Schedule your eye exam today.