Why Are Complete Eye-Health Exams Necessary?

Your ability to see clearly without straining, pain, or restrictions should not be taken for granted. The eyes as the major organ of sight play a vital role in daily activities. The eyes make unobstructed navigation possible for you and help you to appreciate the beauty of nature. As a result of the indispensable functions of the eyes, they must be treated with utmost care. This would help in protecting the eyes from diseases that might cause impairment or total loss of sight. However, clear eyesight doesn’t equally mean a healthy eye. The only way to determine that you have healthy eyes void of diseases is through a complete eye health exam.

A complete eye-health exam involves a series of tests that assesses your visual system and eye health. These tests are carried out to detect eye diseases and disorders such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachments, and macular degeneration. Also, these tests detect other systemic health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. A complete eye-health exam is different from a vision test. Unlike a vision test, a complete eye-health exam checks for more serious eye-threatening issues. Routine eye check-up is very important for the eyes and the visual system. Complete eye health exams can help to detect eye diseases or defects that can cause impairment or permanent loss of sight.

Since clear eyesight is not a guarantee of healthy eyes or a healthy visual system, a regular and periodic complete eye exam is needed. Also, a lot of eye problems do not have obvious symptoms, and the only way to detect them is through an eye exam. Nevertheless, there are some symptoms of an eye problem that would require you to visit a Scarborough optometrist before your next appointment. Blurry eyesight, excessive squinting, difficulty seeing close objects, etc. are symptoms of eye defects that should not wait for your next eye appointment.

Preparations for a Complete Eye Exam in Scarborough

Complete eye tests and examinations are recommended every one or two years depending on your family history, age, eye, and general health. Ethnicity, occupation, visual aids, medications with ocular side effects, etc. are also factors to be considered for the frequency of eye exams. However, eye problems that cause obstructions to your vision or even partial blindness can be reported to an eye doctor near you. These impairments do not have to wait till your next eye exam appointment as delay could be dangerous and lead to permanent loss of eyesight.

Before an eye-health exam, your optometrist might have to know about your eye care history and might ask the following questions:

• You and your family’s medical history.
• Medications you take.
• Past eye injuries and surgeries.
• Symptoms of your eye defect (if you booked an emergency appointment).
• Corrective eye devices (eyeglasses, contact lenses).
• General health conditions.

Various instruments, bright lights, and lenses are used during a complete eye exam. Your optometrist might dilate your pupils to enlarge them and help the bright lights give a clear view of your retina and the back of your eyes. A series of comprehensive eye tests are then carried out to detect eye defects. These tests include:

• A case history of past and present medical and visual issues.
• Measurement of your visual acuity.
• Diagnosis of your refractive status.
• Assessment of your binocular vision.
• Eye focusing and teaming tests.
• Colour vision assessment.
• Assessment of eye health.
• Screening for glaucoma, pressure testing, and peripheral vision tests.
• Slit-lamp tests.

Complete eye-health tests might lead to additional tests to clarify or provide a more in-depth assessment. Examples of these additional tests include retinal photography, gonioscopy, corneal pachymetry, macular scans, contrast sensitivity, and automated visual field testing.

Importance of Complete Eye-Health Exams

Complete eye-health exams help to:

• Prevent impairment and total loss of eyesight.
• Improve your vision and visual system.
• Detect eye issues early enough to treat them.
• Provide comfort and ease of learning.