Aug 24
What to Expect at an Eye Exam
Everyone needs regular eye exams, no matter how old or young you are. The frequency of these exams tend to increase with age, as older adults have a higher risk for certain visual complications, such as glaucoma. It’s common to be nervous about getting your eyes checked, as it’s an essential part of maintaining health vision. Our team at Trumansburg Optical is here to ease your worries. Below, we’ve included a few things you can expect during your visit. If you have any questions or would like to schedule your exam, give us a call.
Bring Your Prescription Eyewear
One of the most common reasons we see patients is due to concerns related to their prescription. We regularly prescribe vision correction, such as contacts and glasses, after an eye exam. It’s common to need reading aids as you grow older due to natural changes in the eye’s structure. As part of your exam, we’ll have you do a visual acuity test. This involves reading lines of letters that grow progressively smaller each line. This lets us know what kind of vision you have, such as 20/20. If you already have prescription eyewear, be sure to bring it with you and let us know if you have any concerns.
Expect to be Asked Questions
Our goal is to discern what’s causing your vision problems, as well as assess your risk for certain diseases or complications. As such, we will need to gather information about your current and past health. A few possible questions include:
- Are you currently experiencing any vision problems?
- Do you wear contacts or glasses, and if you do, are you happy with them?
- Have you recently had any health problems?
- Do you take any medications?
- Does your family have a history of eye complications, such as glaucoma, retinal detachments or macular degeneration?
- Have you ever had eye surgery, such as cataract removal or Lasik?
- Do you have high blood pressure, heart disease or any other issues that can impact your overall wellbeing?
It may be helpful to prepare a few answers, such as determining whether certain eye diseases are present in your family.
Tests During the Exam
In addition to a visual acuity exam, we will measure your eyes’ pressure. These levels, which measure the pressure of fluid within the eye, indicate whether you may be at risk for glaucoma, a common vision problem that often has no noticeable symptoms until the disease has significantly progressed. We will need to dilate your eyes using special drops, and the effects usually last for a few hours. Then, we’ll take a look at the inside of your eyes using a bright light. The experience isn’t painful, but it may be rather uncomfortable. We’ll ensure you have a positive experience by helping you get acquainted.
Depending on your symptoms, we may perform other tests, such as a retinal examination, color vision testing and more. We’ll let you know and provide the information you need.
Call For a Vision Assessment Today
Vision exams can sometimes be nerve-wracking, especially for young children. Trumansburg Optical ensures you and your family have an enjoyable experience while in our office. We do all we can to help you feel comfortable throughout your eye exam, so don’t hesitate to reach out to schedule yours.