What to Expect From an Eye Exam

Are you scheduled for an eye exam? To help you get more comfortable, here are the 5 basic eye tests you can expect to undergo.

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Correcting your vision, whether it’s by using prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, is crucial to helping you achieve a higher quality of life. Such vision correction tools will help you perform better in all aspects of your life but without them, you’ll experience many uncomfortable symptoms, such as:

• constant headaches and eye strain
• blurry vision
• difficulty performing everyday activities such as driving and watching TV
• poor school/work performance

Comprehensive Eye Exams For the Whole Family

At Market Mall Optometry, our qualified optometrists are able to perform children, senior, and adult eye exams to protect the vision of your whole family. In addition, we provide other eye health services including contact lens fittings, diabetic retinopathy, and cataract management, to meet all your unique ocular needs.

Want to know more?

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4 Main Tests to Expect During an Eye Exam

Your vision plays a very important role in your daily life and as such, you MUST take the right steps to protect your eye health. This can be done by scheduling regular eye exams with your local optometrist.

During this eye appointment, you can expect to undergo several basic tests, including the following:

1. Visual Acuity Test

A visual acuity test is an eye exam that tests central vision only and it checks how well you see the details of a letter or symbol from a specific distance. At the end of the test, your visual acuity will be expressed as a fraction (eg. 20/20).

What if my visual acuity isn’t 20/20? There may be several reasons why your visual acuity isn’t 20/20. This includes the fact that you may:

• need corrective eyeglasses/contact lenses
• have an eye infection
• have sustained an eye injury

At the end of the eye exam, you and your optometrist will discuss your results, as well as any treatment or correction that might be required.

 

2. Retinoscopy

If you are experiencing problems with your vision, you may be suffering from a refractive error. To better determine if this is the case, your optometrist will perform a retinoscopy. This examination of your retina will determine if a patient has conditions such as:

• myopia (nearsightedness)
• hyperopia (farsightedness)
• astigmatism

Note: If a refractive error is detected during the retinoscopy, then this is usually followed by other eye tests to determine the corrective lens prescription needed to achieve clear vision.

 

3. Refraction Test

The refraction test involves a series of lens choices through which you will view a reading chart, comparing what you see. By adjusting the focus of the chart image on your retina, your optometrist will be able to determine your prescription to provide you with clear vision.

What does a refraction test look for?

Apart from determining your prescription, your optometrist will use the refraction test to check:

• if your eyes work well together
• your focusing ability
• the health of your eyes
• if there is any deterioration of your vision

It’s important for your doctor to check how well your eyes work together as this is crucial for the performance of day-to-day tasks and can significantly enhance your performance at work or school.

 

4. Intraocular Pressure Measurement

An intraocular pressure test measures the force created by the fluid in your eyes. If you have an abnormal level of eye pressure, this can be a warning sign of glaucoma.

What happens during this test?

The machine will send a quick puff of air into your open eye. Due to the sudden force, your eye reacts by closing. Based on your reaction, your eye doctor will be able to determine your eye pressure.

Glaucoma Testing

 

Call Today

To find out more about our comprehensive eye exams, and how our optometrists can help keep your vision clear and eyes healthy, contact our Calgary eye clinic today at  403-286-4884 or book a contact lens fitting today.