Going for an Eye Exam? Here’s What you Need to Know

It’s likely that though you’ve read how important it is to have your eyes checked regularly, you can't remember the last time you went to an ophthalmologist. Even when you think nothing is wrong with your eyes, it’s a good idea to have an eye-check-up routine so that any diseases or vision related problems may be detected early.

It is for this reason that you should go for a complete check up and not just a visual screening test. Children especially should have their eyes checked regularly. This will help the early detection and correction of minor faults such as eye immaturity, ignoring which can increase chances of developing squints. Adults too need routine check ups so that with the right prescription glasses, further vision loss may be prevented and diseases be diagnosed early on.

While vision screening is a simple exam that may be performed with the help of experienced volunteers such as nurses, healthcare providers and trained staff at the motor-licensing departments and can help check for blurring and muscle co-ordination, it’s success in diagnosing eye diseases is limited, depending also on the experience of the person administering the test. A doctor on the other hand, can perform a comprehensive test, checking your eyes for a wide range of impairments. Such a practitioner will also be able to provide you remedial options and tell you about the range of treatments available. Such a comprehensive exam cannot be carried out by the regular family doctor or pediatrician.

If you are considering switching to contacts from eyeglasses, do so after you meet your eye-specialist. The specialist will schedule some special tests for the same, different from those needed for people using eyeglasses. It might also be a good idea to mention this when scheduling your appointment, as the receptionist will then assign you the extra time required.

An eye-specialist will be able to explain to you various corrective options available for any particular disease or vision impairments, by way of surgery, prescription eyeglasses or contacts, dietary supplements and vitamins, other medicines, etc. He will also tell you schedule a follow-up visit and will be in a position to contact other experts for specific kinds of treatments as also to recommend eye-exercises, etc. So be sure to make an eye-checkup part of your health routine to take proper care of your eyes and to detect faults at an early stage for correct remedial action.