The "Eye Check"

 

Many people are anxious about having their eyes “tested”.  The wordings of “test” and “exam” do not help to alleviate this and perhaps calling it an “Eye Check” is a better title and less daunting.  After all, we are “checking” to see that your eyes are normal and there is no exam or test that you have to pass.

 

Three main concerns are often at the back of our mind when attending for an eye check.

 

1. “I am worried about what the optometrist will find” or “I am worried about losing my sight"

 

Our sight is so precious to us all and the thought of possibly losing it is an understandable concern.  The vast majority of people who come for an eye check have perfectly normal eyes.  However, if there are any concerns it is best to recognize these promptly as many eye conditions are treatable and respond best when caught early.  We will explain any findings to you thoroughly and discuss any concerns you may have with you in a patient and understanding manor

 

 2.  “I have difficulty deciding which lens is clearer and I am concerned about giving the wrong answer”

 

Another common concern is giving the correct answer when being given the choice of lenses while looking at the letters on the eye chart.  You cannot get this wrong as it is our responsibility as optometrists to do our best to ensure that your prescription is correct.  You may find some of the choices between “lens one and lens two” impossible and this is not only normal, but in fact helpful as this indicates that the prescription choice has been narrowed down to a level where no further improvement needs to be made.

 

3.  “I put off going for an eye check as glasses are expensive and I don’t want to be sold glasses that I don’ t need”

 

At Darling Eyecare we will always give you honest and helpful advice with regard to your need for glasses or any changes to your prescription.

 

• We will first advise whether you need glasses or if there has been a change to your prescription. 

• We will then show you that difference on the eye chart (comparing your vision with or without glasses, or your current glasses compared with the new result)

• You can then decide if your vision is improved.

• We will of course bear in mind your individual visual needs such as driving, occupational requirements and your hobbies/interests and sports.

 

 

The procedure of checking your eyes consists of the following:

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History and symptoms:  We want to know why you have come to see us, about your previous eye and general health, your medications and your family history.  We will also ask questions about your occupation and lifestyle.  This is the most important part of any human health check.  Listening to you carefully and taking the time to ask you relevant questions is absolutely fundamental in making sure we investigate the relevant concerns correctly and achieve the best outcome.

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Unaided vision:  What can you see without glasses?

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Refraction: Yes, this is the “lens or two" bit again, but remember it is up to the optometrist to gain the best outcome from you.  We will be using both objective (our measurements whereby you are not required to give a choice) and subjective (when you are asked for you choice) techniques to determine if you have any short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia), two focal points (astigmatism) or difficulty on focusing at near  - usually after forty years old (presbyopia).

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Eye muscle balance: The ability of your eyes to work together will be checked for both near and far distances.  If your eyes do struggle to keep comfortable single vision you may be given eye exercises or prism may be added to your prescription to help your eye muscles.

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Eye health:   Your eyes will be thoroughly examined from front to back with various methods including digital retinal photography, binocular ophthalmoscopy, the slit-lamp (the slit lamp is an illuminated binocular microscope and our slit-lamp is also equipped with a Canon digital camera) and should you request it optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Optomap

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Intra-ocular pressure:  Your eye pressure will be measured with a very gentle no-puff device and should your readings be above normal (greater than 21mmHg) they will be rechecked with a hospital standard Goldmann tonometer.  Eye pressure above normal may indicate glaucoma, but not always as some people have above normal pressures without any other complications.

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Visual field:  Your visual field may need to be checked.  Examples of Indications to include a visual field check as part of your eye check would be symptoms such as unusual headaches, abnormal eye pressures, your family history and occupational requirements.

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Other examinations: Corneal curvature, colour vision, stereopsis (depth of vision), contrast sensitivity (how well you can see black on white), the Amsler grid (a check for distorted  and missing parts of the central 10 degrees of your vision) and tear film tests can all be added as needed.