What Do Optometrists Do During an Eye Exam?

What do optometrists do when you go in for an eye exam? Most patients know that from their part, eye exams involve sitting in funny-shaped chairs and looking at pictures and letters through a very strange machine. All those interchangeable lenses that flick over your eyes while your optometrist asks: “Number four, or number five?” – what are they for?

Generally speaking, during your eye exam, we’re looking to measure the co-ordination of your eye movements and ensure the muscles in your eyes are working properly. We check to ensure your vision and peripheral vision are sharp and assess your eyes’ ability to see colour, adjust their focus, and judge depth. Then, if we notice any problems, we advise you on how to address them, such as with contact lenses, eye exercises, glasses or possibly medication.

Equally important to how well your eyes work is verifying the health of your eyes, which is a very important step during your Calgary eye exam. Serious eye health problems may not have symptoms that are noticeable to you. Luckily, getting an eye exam from a qualified optometrist can help detect any problems early before they become too serious to treat and prescribe ways to abate or even cure the effects of any developing eye diseases.

The Phoropter

Speaking of that bizarre multi-lens device your optometrist uses to test your prescription, it’s called a phoropter, and it refracts light to produce images on your retina. The optical power of each lens is measured in 0.25 diopter increments. Each time your optometrist changes the lens, she sees the spherical and cylindrical power, and cylindrical axis, needed to correct your refractive error. The result is knowing what prescription you need for your glasses to give you clear vision.

Book your eye exam today with our experienced team today by calling us at 403.286.4884 or visit our clinic located in Market Mall in Calgary.