So who should you see? And when should you go? And just as important, what can you expect when you get there? Let's tackle these questions one by one.
Who? For some of us, the "who" part is simple. We go to whatever doctor is covered by our insurance plans. But even within a healthcare plan, you often have choice. Read this article for a rundown of the different types of eye care professionals and the services they offer.
When? How often you see an eye care professional depends on your age, medical conditions, and other factors, such as your eye health history. So work with your personal eye care specialist for a schedule that fits your needs. As a baseline, all people should have an eye disease screening by age 40. Read this article for a breakdown of vision screening recommendations by age group.
What? So what's likely to happen when you finally get your time with the doctor? Here are five key components of a vision exam:
One: First things first. A screening should start with an overview of your medical history. Your eye care professional will want to know about any medical conditions you have, and about any medications or supplements you're currently taking. You should also describe any vision problems that you have currently, as well as any history of eye problems in your blood relatives.
Two: How well do you see? Next, the doctor will likely check your visual acuity -- how clearly you're able to see. You'll be asked to read characters off an eye chart that's 20 feet away while wearing your prescription glasses or contacts. The doctor will check the vision in each eye while the other one is covered.
The test results are reported as a fraction. Someone with 20/20 vision can see characters from 20 feet away, which is considered normal. A bigger bottom number means worse vision. Someone with 20/100 vision can see characters from 20 feet away as clearly as someone with normal vision can see them from 100 feet away.
Your doctor may also check how well you read things up close, especially if you're over 40, because the risk of presbyopia increases as we age.
Three: Clearing things up. If your vision seems off, your eye care professional will give you a refraction test to see if glasses or contacts (or changes to your existing prescription) could help you see more clearly. This involves reading an eye chart while looking through different lenses and letting your doctor know whether the view gets fuzzier or clearer when she changes the lenses. She'll continue to adjust the lenses until refractive errors are corrected and your vision is sharp.
Source:http://www.realage.com/check-your-health/eye-health/eye-exam-information
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