What is Done During a Routine Eye Exam?

Routine eye exams are important for your overall health and well-being. If it’s been a while since you’ve visited your eye doctor, or you’ve never had an eye exam, it can be helpful to know what to expect when you visit your eye doctor.

A routine eye exam in Phoenix includes several steps. During an appointment, your doctor uses various tests, tools and procedures to examine your vision as well as the health of your eye and recommend corrective lenses or further treatment if needed. A typical eye examination can take between 30 – 45 minutes depending on the health of your eyes, quality of your vision and if you need corrective lenses.

Most of your routine eye exam consists of various tests used to evaluate your vision. These include the following:

Visual Field Screening – This test is usually performed by the eye care assistant, also known as a technician, with the assistance of a machine to analyze your visual field.

Tonometry – This test is important to determine your eye pressure in the evaluation for glaucoma.

Retinoscopy – This is a technique to obtain the objective measurement of your prescription. It provides a way to estimate what your vision prescription may be. It can either be performed by an automated machine or it can be done manually with a retinoscope. The retinoscope shines a bright light into the eye while your doctor observes the reflection off your retina,so your estimated prescription can be calculated.

Refraction – This test uses a device called a phoropter to determine your corrective lens prescription.  This instrument is used to test various lenses against your eyes, enabling your doctor to determine the best power prescription for your eyeglasses or contacts. The phoropter measures the exact level of astigmatism, myopia or hyperopia you may have.

Slit Lamp – The slit lamp exam allows the eye to be analyzed from front to back. During this test in Phoenix, your doctor uses a special high-power microscope to examine the structures of your eye, testing for infections or ocular diseases. This test is beneficial for detecting conjunctivitis and other common eye issues as well as more serious ocular conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

If you are experiencing specific vision problems, additional tests and further examination may be required. Even if you are not experiencing vision problems, it is still a good idea to have your eyes examined regularly, ideally every year. To schedule a routine eye exam with one of our doctors in Phoenix, contact Associated Retina Consultants at 602-242-4928 or associatedretinaconsultants.com today.