The eye examination evaluates 3 major areas, looking for common eye conditions. 

• Your Sight: We determine if a prescription is required for glasses or contact lenses. If vision correction is needed, we than determine the best possible prescription for your particular needs. The doctor will use a phoropter, a machine with many lenses, and an eye chart to determine the best correction for both distance and near vision. Sometimes a special instrument called a retinoscope is also used. The retinoscope has a light that reflects off your eye to aid the doctor in determine the best correction for you.

• Binocularity: We perform this test to determine how well your eyes work together as a team. Specific tests are run to evaluate your eye movements and depth perception.
• Eye Health: The exterior portion of your eye is examined with a slit lamp. This machine magnifies your eye so the doctor can see specific structures of the eye in great detail. The interior of your eye is also examined using the slit lamp. The doctor can see through the cornea and the lens to the retina at the back of your eye. The doctor routinely checks for cataracts, signs of high cholesterol, glaucoma, retinal problems and evidence of diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

If this is your first visit to our office or if it has been more than a year or two since we've last seen you, we may dilate your eyes. Dilating the eyes on a yearly basis is the standard of care for patients with diabetes or hypertension as well as patients with any pre-existing ocular condition. Dilation involves applying a special eye drop that relaxes the iris (the colored portion) of your eye so it will move out of the way. This opens the pupil allowing us to better view the interior of your eye.

Here is an analogy to help you understand why we dilate the eye: Pretend you are peeking into a room through a keyhole in the door. You may see some objects directly ahead of you, but the items located to the sides of the room will be difficult to view. If you open the door, or dilate the eye, you can see all of the room or all of the internal structures of the eye.

For a timeline of specific recommended optometry care and further information, please visit the website of The American Optometric Association.