Your eye doctor will examine your eyes with a moving microscope and provide a comprehensive eye health exam. It would help if you visited an ophthalmologist every year.
For instance, eye doctors can often detect diabetes in your eyes’ retina and blood vessels before a blood glucose (sugar) test does, helping to prevent vision loss and other serious complications. Click the https://dryeyecenterofmd.com/ to learn more.
If you have vision coverage through your employer or health insurance plan, routine eye exams are typically covered. These exams consist of a series of tests designed to measure how well you see, identify any problems, and offer suggestions on how best to correct your vision. Some eye exams require the use of specialized instruments to examine the deeper parts of your eyes.
The most common test is visual acuity, which determines how clearly each eye can see letters on an eye chart. You may also be asked to follow a moving object with your eyes or read a series of numbers or letters to check for the presence of certain conditions, such as glaucoma.
Other basic eye tests include pupil function (shining a beam of light into your eyes to watch them shrink or dilate), color vision and peripheral vision testing (looking for signs of loss of side vision). A simple test called tonometry measures the pressure inside your eyes, which can indicate glaucoma.
During the comprehensive eye exam, your doctor will likely examine your medical history and ask questions about any symptoms you’re experiencing, including dry eyes, blurry vision, redness of the eye or sudden changes in your vision. Your doctor will also want to know if you’re taking any medications or have a family history of eye or health problems.
Your doctor may use a device called a phoropter, which contains a set of lenses. He or she will move the lighted instrument around in front of your face to help assess the way each lens focuses light. This helps your doctor determine your refractive error, which is a measurement of how much you need to wear glasses or contacts.
The slit-lamp exam uses a special microscope to allow your doctor to get a closer look at the structures at the front of your eye. You will rest your chin and forehead on the machine, while your doctor looks at the cornea, iris and lens through the magnifying scope. If the test requires pupil dilation, your doctor will place drops in your eyes to make your pupils larger, allowing them to better see the inner eye structures.
Contact Lenses
The eye doctor can help you choose the type of contact lens that meets your specific vision and health needs. He or she will consider your eye physiology, your “wish list” of lens features and your lifestyle in order to select the best lens for you. He or she will also explain how to properly wear, clean, store and maintain your contact lenses.
Corrective contact lenses improve vision by directly focusing light into the eye at the proper power. Spherical lenses are used to correct myopia (nearsightedness) and hypermetropia (farsightedness). Toric lenses are used to correct astigmatism, which results in an irregular curve of the cornea. Multifocal contact lenses allow you to see near and far objects without glasses by providing different powers in each lens for distance and reading prescriptions.
Soft lenses, made from a flexible plastic like polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), are the most common type of contact lens prescribed. Roughly 90% of all contact lens wearers today wear soft lenses. They are available in disposable format to be worn for a day and then thrown away or in reusable form to be worn overnight and kept clean with contact lens disinfection solutions.
Generally, soft lenses are safer and more comfortable to wear than the old hard contacts. They have a more natural fit on the eye and are usually easier to insert, remove and handle. When a new contact lens is first placed on the eye, there may be a temporary sensation of irritation due to the difference in pH and salt concentration between the tear fluid and the contact lens solution. This discomfort should fade as the tears and lens solution hydrate the eye.
Before putting on a contact lens, carefully inspect it for damage or dirt, and make sure the lens isn’t inside out (which can be detected by looking at the edges of the lens — they should flare out instead of turning in). Also, always put on your lenses using your index finger. This helps prevent a small amount of lint from getting trapped between the lens and the eye.
Eyeglasses
Eyeglasses bend light beams passing through them so they focus properly on the retina to create sharp, clear vision. They correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. They help us see at a distance and close-up, read and drive, play sports, and perform a variety of other tasks.
They are the oldest and most widely used form of vision correction. They’re also the cheapest, with frames available at low cost and insurance plans covering much of the cost. Glasses are easy to wear and adjust to, even when they’re new. They also offer protection against UV rays and dust.
When worn properly, eyeglasses provide the best possible vision and eliminate the need for contact lenses or laser surgery. But it takes time to learn how to use them, and to get accustomed to the way they feel. The first step is to see a qualified eye care specialist and receive an accurate prescription for your specific needs. Then, you can choose the frames that will be most comfortable and attractive for you, and you’ll have your choice of lens materials.
You may experience discomfort wherever the glasses touch your head or face, especially at the nose, ears and temples. Your eye care specialist or their staff can make minor adjustments to these parts of the frame so you’ll be more comfortable.
The frames themselves come in a wide range of colors, styles, and finishes to suit everyone’s tastes. They’re made of metal alloys and plastics that are durable and often have features to improve comfort and safety, like spring-loaded hinges or “memory” metal alloys that return to their original shape even after being bent.
Some lenses are made to treat multiple issues at once, such as bifocals or trifocals, and are usually separated by a visible seam or edge. Other options include progressive lenses, which have a gradual transition from one prescription to another, and polarized lenses that reduce reflections and glare.
You can encourage your child to wear their eyeglasses by praising them when they do. You should also make sure they’re clean and that the lenses are properly fitted. And, of course, they should keep up with their yearly appointments to ensure the prescription is still accurate.
Eye Surgery
A variety of surgical procedures are available to treat eye injuries or conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts, and crooked eyes (strabismus). Most eye surgery is performed to correct a serious vision issue or disease. For example, a surgeon may perform a corneal transplant to restore normal vision after an injury or infection. Other types of eye surgery are designed to improve the appearance of the eye or the face, such as a blepharoplasty or a rhinoplasty.
Generally, most eye surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis. Anesthesia is used for most operations. Topical anesthesia applied to the eye usually makes the operation painless, although some patients require general anesthesia. Those who have a history of heart disease or lung problems are more likely to need general anesthesia.
Before the procedure begins, your doctor will wash your eye with a special solution to disinfect it. Then, he or she will make an incision in your eyelid and expose the cornea. The doctor may use a probe to measure the thickness of your cornea and create a map of its shape. Next, the doctor will use a laser to cut a thin layer of tissue from the cornea. The computer controls the laser, so it will vaporize only the appropriate amount of corneal tissue. You will hear a ticking sound and possibly smell a burning sensation.
Once the tissue has been removed, your doctor will place a bandage over your eye. During the healing process, it is important to avoid activities that could cause your eye to be scratched or bumped. Your doctor will give you specific instructions regarding your recovery.
Retina surgery is used to repair serious eye diseases or injuries that can lead to loss of vision. A common retina surgery is laser photocoagulation, which uses a laser to help seal off abnormal blood vessels and reduce swelling. A surgeon may also use a laser to reattach a detached retina. Other retinal surgeries include vitrectomy, in which the surgeon removes a gel-like substance that fills the center of your eye. This procedure is often used to treat retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and diabetic retinopathy.