The newest trend in eye care is a ‘do-it-yourself’ eye exam app. But are these at home eye tests really protecting your vision as well as a comprehensive eye exam by a trained and qualified optometrist?
Contrary to popular opinion, having a clear vision doesn’t necessarily mean that your eyes are healthy, as many of the most serious and common eye conditions don’t present symptoms in their early stages. That’s why it’s highly recommended that you schedule an eye exam with your local optometrist at least once every year.
These eye exams will allow for:
- Early identification of visual or general health conditions
- Immediate management of any problems
- Lower healthcare costs
- Clearer vision
- Improved quality of life
Protect Your Vision With Our Comprehensive Eye Exams
At our eye clinic in Market Mall , we offer eye exams to patients of all ages, including children, as well as advanced vision services such as cataract management, diabetic retinal examinations, and glaucoma testing, to protect the health of your eyes and prevent vision loss.
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The Dangers of Having An Eye Exam With an App
The newest trend to emerge in eye healthcare is a ‘do-it-yourself’ eye exam app. These apps claim to allow users to check for problems with visual acuity, colour vision, and depth perception, but can they really protect your eye health and vision as well as an in-person eye exam, conducted by a professional optometrist?
The answer is: NO. No matter how convenient and cost-effective these apps may be, there is no substitute for a comprehensive eye exam.
7 Things an Optometrist Can Check For That an App Cannot
The danger with an eye exam app is not that it’s inaccurate, but that it’s extremely limited. These apps aren’t able to perform a truly comprehensive eye exam and simply put, cannot deliver the same level of quality care that a professional eye doctor can.
Most of the important vision tests can only be performed in a clinical environment and during this in-person test, your optometrist can check for the alignment of your eyes, muscle function, and eye movement, while also checking the health of your optic nerve and retina.
Some of the most critical eye tests that can ONLY be conducted during an in-person visit to your optometrist include:
- Retinoscopy/Refraction (to see how light passes through your eyes)
- Ocular motility testing
- Inspection of the eyelids and surrounding tissue
- Tonometry to measure intraocular pressure
- Glaucoma testing
- Pupil dilation
- Slit lamp exam (this provides a highly detailed and magnified view of your eye structures)
WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE AN ONLINE EYE EXAM
An Eye Exam App Can’t Detect Early Signs of More Serious Conditions
Many serious eye diseases, such as glaucoma, do not show symptoms in their early stages, and can only be detected through an in-person, comprehensive eye exam. In addition, your optometrist may even be able to spot a number of serious medical conditions in their early stages through a vision test.
Some of the health issues an optometrist can help diagnose include:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Autoimmune diseases
- High cholesterol
- Thyroid disease
- Cancer
- Tumors
Given all this information, it’s important to remember that while vision testing may be an interesting app to play around with, it should NEVER be used as a substitute for an in-person comprehensive eye examination performed by a licensed optometrist.
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At our Calgary eye clinic, our optometrists are dedicated to ensuring that, not only is your vision clear, but that you’re on the path to whole body wellness, as well. To book a comprehensive eye exam today, contact us at 403-286-4884 or book an eye exam today.
