What Occurs During an Eye Exam?

Frankfort is a small town in Illinois with several good optometrists. A Frankfort general optometry center should offer eye exams as one of its services.

An eye exam is a comprehensive test of all aspects of your eye health. You should go for an eye exam at least once every year.

Many people have never even had an eye exam and don’t know what it entails. The following is what you can expect from a general eye exam:

1. Medical History

The first thing that an optometrist will ask you during an eye exam is your medical history. You will have to explain any medical issues you have had in the past as it pertains to your eyes.

Therefore, it is best to have a regular optometrist as they will already have this information on hand. However, you will have to give a detailed account of your visual medical history for a new optometrist.

2. Visual Acuity Test

A test you should expect at any eye exam is the visual acuity test. Your visual acuity, in other words, is the sharpness of your vision, which is crucial.

Visual acuity tests are typically conducted using an eye chart. A large, protected eye chart will measure long-range acuity while a small handheld chart will measure near vision.

Eye Pressure Measurement

Your eye has many components, including liquids, which affect the pressure of your eyes. You need to have adequate eye pressure for your vision to function optimally.

Measuring eye pressure typically involves the optometrist using a numbing drop in your eyes. The doctor will then calculate the pressure to determine several aspects of your vision.

3. Eye Muscle Test

As with other organs in your body, your eye has muscles responsible for your eyes’ movement. The stronger your eye muscles, the wider the range of motion you have in your eyes.

An eye muscle test essentially involves the optometrist observing your eyes as they follow a moving target.

4. Refraction Test

Your eyes refract light as it passes through your cornea and lens. How light is reflected off your retina determines if your eyes have a refractive error.

If you have a refractive error in your eyes, then corrective action must be taken to remedy it. The solution to such issues usually involves wearing glasses or contact lenses.

5. Color Vision Testing

It is very difficult to know if your eyes have a problem seeing specific colors. If they do, you are considered to be color blind.

Color vision testing typically involves your optometrist observing how your eyes react to different color patterns. The better your color vision, the more colors you will recognize in the test.

6. Visual Field Test

Human beings have peripheral vision, meaning they can see a wide-angle through their eyes. Your visual field encompasses all you can see with your eyes.

A visual field test determines if there are any blind spots in your peripheral vision. There are several types of tests for your visual field, including confrontation exams, automated periphery, and manual testing.

There are many more tests done during an eye exam. However, the above are tests that you can expect to find in every eye exam.