Your Eye Examination
In general an eye examination every 2 years is accepted as standard practice.When you attend for your eye examination you should bring with you any spectacles you wear, the names of any tablets or medicines you are taking and the name of your doctor. Please ensure that you do not wear your contact lenses on the day of the examination.
The optometrist will need some information about the health of you and your family.
The eye examination should check your eyesight and your eye health and can detect conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic eye disease and high blood pressure.
- An eye examination should normally include the following:
- Subjective test
You will be asked to read letters on a chart. - External eye examination
The Optometrist will shine a light on the front of your eyes to check their health and pupil reactions. - Internal eye examination
The Optometrist will shine a light into your eyes to check the health of the crystalline lens and retina. - Eye muscle test
The Optometrist will check that the muscles, which control your eye movement, are working correctly. - Do you require Spectacles?
If you need spectacles to improve your vision, the optometrist will work out the exact prescription you need.
- Additional tests may be required and these may include:
- Eye pressure measurement
A puff of air is blown onto the front of each eye. This measures the intraocular pressure of the eye and helps with the detection of glaucoma. - Auto refraction
You will be asked to look directly into an instrument and your approximate eye correction and eye shape will be recorded. - Retinal photography
In our practice we have the most up to date digital technology for imaging the retina (back of the eye). If the optometrist considers that this test is necessary we do make an additional charge. - Slit Lamp examination
This instrument magnifies and illuminates any abnormalities in the cornea, iris and lens. Digital Image photography enables us to record our findings. - Auto keratometry
This instrument analyses the shape of your eyes and can determine if there is any distortion of the cornea. - Visual field analysis
You will be shown patterns of lights and asked to say which ones you can see.This test can help to detect glaucoma and other eye and health problems. - Dilating eye drops
You may need to have your pupils dilated to allow the Optometrist a better view of the internal structures of the eyes. It takes up to half an hour for the drops to work properly. Some people find the drops make their eyes light sensitive and their sight blurred. You should not drive for a few hours. There is an additional charge for this procedure.
At the completion of your eye test you will be given a written statement indicating your spectacle prescription and whether you require spectacles or contact lenses.
The importance of Eye Examinations
You only have one pair of eyes. Once lost, your eyesight may never be replaced. Unlike your teeth, your eyes do not usually hurt when there is something wrong. A regular eye examination is the best way to protect your eyesight as many sight threatening diseases, such as glaucoma, can be cured or slowed if caught early enough. The eye examination can also detect a number of other underlying health problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Poor eyesight is dangerous. Make sure that you meet the legal requirements for driving.
An eye examination at Kings Walk Contact Lenses offers an in-depth eye health check. The practice has ‘state of the art’ equipment and offers a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. The test and screening takes about 40 minutes. A standard test will include all the important checks for Glaucoma, Cataract, and Macular degeneration. The Optometrist will also look for signs of Diabetes and high blood pressure. The Optometrist will explain all procedures and will answer any questions.
We also offer Optical Coherence Tomography, referred to as an OCT scan. A cross section of the retina is obtained and this helps with early detection and treatment of many eye conditions. Our Topcon Field Screener can detect visual field loss and all results are carefully recorded and saved on computer.
When to act fast
It is particularly important to have an eye examination if you notice a change in your vision or if your eye is injured in any way. Your eye care practitioner may recommend more frequent eye checks if you have a family history of eye disease.
General advice
The prescribing and dispensing of spectacles are very closely linked and it is in your best interests to have your spectacles dispensed where you have your eyes examined. It is often more difficult to resolve any problems you may have with your spectacles when prescribing and supply are separated.