COMMON EYE CONDITIONS AND EYE DISEASES.

WHAT IS A COMPLETE EYE EXAM?

A complete or comprehensive eye exam is the only way to ensure total eye health and diagnose any eye-related health issues (see Sight Test or Eye Exam?).  It is more than checking to see if your vision is 20/20 and handing out a prescription.  Many factors can effect your eye health, and a complete eye exam takes all of those factors into account before taking further action.

We’ve broken the exam down into layman’s terms in order to help you understand the role that each test plays.  The following tests are the most commonly performed, however your optometrist may choose to add additional tests if complications are perceived.

Steps that you can expect in a typical optometric examination include:

• Case history - you will be asked about your general health, medications you may be taking, your working environment, hobbies, etc. You will also be asked to describe any vision problems you may have been experiencing.
  
  
• External eye examination - Your optometrist will examine the external area around the eye to ensure that there are no abnormalities.
  
  
• Internal eye examination - Using the slit lamp microscope and an ophthalmoscope, your optometrist will check your eyes for indications of abnormalities, from front to back.Some problems detected during an internal eye examination may indicate possible disease, such as diabetes or hypertension. If your optometrist sees any of these warning signs, you will be referred to a physician for further examination.
  
  
• Tonometry - Tonometry measures the fluid pressure in the eye and is an important test in detecting glaucoma.
  
  
• Vision tests - A number of tests are used to assess your vision:
  
  
  • Retinoscopy - The optometrist can determine the strength of your eyes using various lenses and the retinoscope. This is done without feedback from the patient and is therefore an invaluable instrument for assessing the vision problems of children and others who may not be able to read an eye chart.
  •  Visual acuity tests - Using the familiar wall chart and a hand-held charts, your optometrist will assess your ability to see small detail clearly at both near and far distances. You may sit behind a phoropter, an instrument containing a combination of lenses. Lens choices are systematically changed until clear focus is obtained.
  • Eye movement - Using a number of different tests, the optometrist will evaluate how well your eyes align or coordinate when working together and individually.
  • Peripheral vision - The optometrist may evaluate how well you see targets which are not directly in front of you.

Other tests may be undertaken to evaluate your ability to change focus, see colour correctly, or perceive depth correctly.

The items above are typical to a routine eye examination.

Your optometrist will choose those tests required to adequately evaluate YOUR visual system!

The Recipe for Total Eye Health

All of the above exams are used in conjunction with one another to determine the best type of care needed for your eyes.  A sight-test alone cannot adequately provide this information, as it only relies on the refraction portion of your eye health.  A refraction cannot tell you whether or not you have an underlying eye health issue that, if left untreated, can seriously effect your overall health.

ALL patients with Alberta Health Care coverage, regardless of age, are now covered for any urgent medical  eye health care or emergency care visit at our offices.       

The optometrist can diagnose and treat a variety of eye related emergencies including:

-Foreign Body Removal
-Blunt Trauma
-Corneal abrasions
- Welder’s flash/Chemical splash
-Red Eyes
-Flashes/floaters
-Double Vision
-Eye Pain and Light Sensitivity

If the optometrist is unable to treat the eye related emergency, they will be able to refer you to the appropriate health care professional.

TEL: 1-888-381-2677

FAX: 1-888-310-0029