General Eye Consultation Specialist

What happens during a general eye exam?

Your exam begins with a medical history to identify potential risk factors that could place you at an increased risk for certain eye diseases. During the exam itself, the external portions of your eye will be evaluated for signs of disease or other issues like entropion (inward turning of the lid) that could cause health problems like eye infections. Next, your vision will be evaluated using an array of noninvasive, painless assessments designed to simulate different vision issues to determine how well you see near and far objects and to assess your peripheral (side) vision and depth and color perceptions. The inside of your eye will be evaluated using special eye drops to widen your pupils and make it easier to see the retina and optic nerve head. A test for glaucoma may also be performed.

How often should I have a routine eye exam?

Most professional medical societies recommend routine exams every one to three years, depending on your age, your risk factors for developing eye diseases, your general health and other factors. In some cases, you may need more frequent visits to monitor your eye health and your vision.

I have good vision; do I still need to have regular eye exams?

Absolutely! A routine eye exam is the best way to detect many vision and eye health issues, including eye diseases that cause few or no symptoms in their earliest stages. Left undetected, these diseases can progress rapidly, resulting in permanent blindness. In addition, regular eye exams can detect issues with your vision that may be causing problems like headaches, dry eye, blurry vision or other symptoms. Correcting even minor issues can result in greater comfort and higher levels of productivity, not to mention increased safety when driving or participating in sports and other activities.