Going to the eye doctor is important. And it’s more than reading letters of the alphabet and following a bright light. At Eye Care Solutions, Vishal Patel, OD, and his team conduct comprehensive eye exams to keep your vision healthy.
A comprehensive eye exam evaluates many different aspects of your vision and eye health. A full exam usually takes about an hour, but this varies depending on your eyes and the type of testing you might need.
While your age and health influence how often you should visit Eye Care Solutions, regular eye exams increase Dr. Patel’s ability to monitor changes in your eyes and find any potential issues early on. Eye conditions detected early are often easier to treat, reducing the risk of lasting negative impact on your vision. If you’re an adult and you wear contacts or glasses, you typically need to have an eye exam once a year.
What happens at an eye exam
Most comprehensive eye exams start with a review of any concerns you might have regarding your eyes or vision, as well as your health and family history. Dr. Patel asks common questions such as:
- Have you been experiencing eye problems?
- Are you happy with your contacts or glasses?
- Do you have chronic health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease?
- Are you taking any medications?
- Do you have a family history of eye problems like macular degeneration or glaucoma?
Your eye exam tests the sharpness and clarity of your vision, as well as the health of your eyes. Dr. Patel tests you for signs of eye conditions like glaucoma, eye strain, and more.
Testing visual acuity
Visual acuity refers to the sharpness of your vision, and this is the test that comes to mind when you think of an eye exam. You’re asked to read an eye chart, and the lines you read get smaller as you go. Your near-range vision is often tested with a card placed in front of your eyes at reading distance.
Dr. Patel tests each eye separately, using refraction to determine if you need corrective lenses. Passing different lenses over each of your eyes helps refine your exact corrective prescription.
A cover test examines how your eyes work together. You cover your eyes one at a time and focus on an object in front of you, while Dr. Patel watches how your eye adapts. He uses this test to check for vision problems that can cause eye strain or lazy eyes.
Examining eye health
Using lights and special eye drops, Dr. Patel conducts a thorough exam of your eye health to identify any issues. Eye health tests involve examination of the muscles, blood vessels, and tissue that make up the eyes.
The eye muscle test examines your control of eye movement — you follow a moving object such as a light or a pen with your eyes. With this test, Dr. Patel looks for weakened eye muscles that could cause strain or disrupt vision.
Dilation makes your pupils bigger so it’s easier to look inside each eye. This is one of the best ways for Dr. Patel to evaluate the health of your eyes from the inside. Another common sign of your overall eye health is eye pressure, and special instruments test the pressure of your eye.
Following your comprehensive eye exam, Dr. Patel discusses your results, including need for corrective lenses, risk of eye diseases, and ways to protect your eyesight.
Comprehensive eye exams are the best way to keep your eyes healthy. Call the Eye Care Solutions office in Milton, Georgia, or schedule an appointment online today.
