Many people don’t think about their eye exams until they can’t read street signs a few feet away or their computer screen is blurry. But regular, comprehensive eye exams can help protect your vision and reveal a lot about the state of your overall health.
Eye exams can spot signs of glaucoma, cataracts and other diseases long before they cause any symptoms or vision loss. They also help detect a number of eye and health conditions that can affect your quality of life, including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
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A comprehensive eye exam includes a variety of tests and measurements to look at the structure and function of your eyes. This testing may include visual acuity (how well you can see), refraction and binocular vision, which checks how well your eyes move and align together. It may also include a visual field test to assess your ability to see in all directions, and a measurement of your eye pressure, which is important for diagnosing glaucoma.
Your doctor will review your family history of eye and health problems, as well as your current medication and lifestyle, including work and leisure activities that can affect your eyes. This information helps your doctor determine how likely you are to develop a particular condition and make recommendations to prevent it.
During an eye exam, your doctor will use a special tool to examine the front part of your eye, including the cornea and iris. Using a lighted instrument called a slit lamp, your provider will be able to see details about the shape and texture of these structures. He or she may also check for abnormalities such as a hole in your cornea (keratoconus) or changes in the color of your eyes, which can indicate damage to the retina and vascular layer beneath.
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