Comprehensive Eye Exam

If you’ve had a vision screening recently, you might say, “My vision is fine! I don’t need a comprehensive eye exam.”

But a vision screening provides a limited perspective on the overall health of your eyes. It’s a bit like getting your blood pressure checked and not getting the rest of your annual physical. You’ll have useful information, but it’s not the whole picture.

What are the Limitations of a Vision Screening?

Vision screenings only test your ability to see clearly in the distance. This is called visual acuity and is just one factor in your overall vision. Others include color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. The screening also doesn’t evaluate how well the eyes focus up close or work together. Most importantly, it doesn’t give any information about the health of the eyes.

Vision screenings are conducted by individuals untrained in eye health.

Vision screenings are offered in many places – schools, health fairs, as part of a work physical or for a driver’s license. Even if your physician conducts the screening, he/she is a generalist and only has access to a certain amount of eye health training. Most individuals don’t have the tools or knowledge to give you a complete assessment of your vision or eye health.

Vision screenings use inadequate testing equipment.
In some cases, a vision screening is limited to an eye chart across the room. Even when conducted in a physician's office, they won’t have the extensive testing equipment of an eye doctor. They also won’t be aware of nuances such as room lighting and testing distances all of which are factors that can affect test results.

What are the Benefits of a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Comprehensive eye exams evaluate all aspects of your vision and eye health.
The comprehensive eye exam not only tests vision and how your eyes function, but also thoroughly evaluates your eyes externally and internally for signs of disease. In many cases, systemic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, and cardiovascular disease may be first detected through an eye exam.

• Current Issues and Review of History – We will discuss in depth any issues or concerns you are currently having with your eyes or vision. We will also review your medical and past ocular history, including medications and family history that may be relevant. Lifestyle and occupational needs will be assessed as well.

• Visual Acuity – Your doctor or optometric technician will measure your current vision ability at far distance and near with your current glasses and/or contact lenses, or without correction if you currently do not wear glasses or contact lenses. Advanced technology will be used to measure detailed optical characteristics of your eyes, including aberrations that can cause blurred vision and glare at night.

• Visual Function and Eye Coordination – This includes testing depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision, and the response of the pupils to light, as well as an evaluation of eye focusing, eye teaming, and eye movement abilities.

• Refraction – The doctor will determine the degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and focusing ability. This process helps identify your best visual potential and may identify aspects that warrant further investigation. This information, together with measurements of eye coordination and lifestyle or occupational needs will be used to prescribe vision correction solutions that provide maximum visual performance and comfort.

• External Exam – This is an evaluation of the structures around the eye, eyelids and lashes, sclera (white of the eye), conjunctiva (delicate covering of the sclera), cornea, iris and pupil. The doctor will use a special microscope called a slit-lamp to examine these structures in detail.

• Internal Exam – This is an evaluation of the more internal structures of the eye, including the lens, vitreous fluid, retina, and optic nerve. The doctor may use sophisticated imaging technology to assist in this examination and allow for comparison over time.

• Glaucoma Testing – A comprehensive evaluation of this leading cause of vision loss involves many different tests and technologies, including a quick and painless measurement of the pressure of the fluid in your eyes.

• Assessment and Plan – Your doctor will carefully review all findings and diagnoses with you and formulate a treatment plan. We believe that a patient’s (and their caregivers’) understanding of their condition and goals of treatment is key to successful outcomes. That’s why we take time throughout and at the end of the exam to describe what we are doing and why it’s important. We also want to make sure we answer all your questions in a way you can understand.

Comprehensive eye exams look at your total health history.
Even though you visit us for your eye health, that doesn’t mean your eyes shouldn’t be treated holistically. Your eye doctor will discuss your overall health and that of your immediate family, any medications you’re taking, and whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes. They’ll also want to know if you smoke and how much sun exposure you get. All these factors help the eye doctor properly assess your eye health.

The American Optometric Association recommends an initial eye exam within the first year of life. This exam is provided in our office without charge as a participating provider of the InfantSEE Program. Preventive examinations should also be performed at age three and yearly beginning when the child starts kindergarten through the end of schooling. Adults without vision issues or risk factors for eye disease should be seen at least every two years. After the age of 61, you should schedule a comprehensive exam annually or as recommended by your eye doctor. Since vision changes throughout life and many eye diseases do not have symptoms, examinations with an optometrist are an important part of your overall health maintenance!