Comprehensive Eye Examination
Periodic eye and vision examinations are an important part of preventive health care. Many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms, so you might not know a problem exists. Early diagnosis and treatment of eye and vision problems can help prevent vision loss.
Each patient's signs and symptoms, along with your Ophthalmologist’s professional judgment, will determine what tests are conducted.
A comprehensive adult eye and vision examination may include but is not limited to, the following tests.
- Patient History: Involves detailed eye history, eye complaints and family history of similar complaints.
- Visual acuity: measurements evaluate how clearly each eye is seeing. Reading charts are often used to measure visual acuity. As part of the testing, you will read letters on charts at a distance and near.
- Refraction determines the lens power needed to compensate for any refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism). Using a retinoscope or automated refractometer the refractive power in each eye is determined. The lens power is then refined based on the patient's input on the lenses that give you the clearest vision.
- Keratometry or Topographer for corneal evaluation can be used as advanced tests for determining any ectasias of the cornea.
- Eye Movements: To see a clear, single image, the eyes must effectively change focus, move and work in unison. An assessment of accommodation, ocular motility, and binocular vision determines how well your eyes focus, move and work together. This testing will look for problems that keep eyes from focusing effectively or make using both eyes together difficult.
- Recommended eye examination frequency for pediatric patients and adults
- Recommended examination frequency for the pediatric patient
Examination interval
| Patient age (years) | Asymptomatic/low risk | At-risk |
|---|---|---|
| Birth through 2 | At 6 to 12 months of age | At 6 to 12 months of age or as recommended |
| 3 through 5 | At least once between 3 and 5 years of age | At least once between 3 and 5 years of age or as recommended |
| 6 through 17 | Before first grade and annually thereafter | Before first grade and annually, or as recommended thereafter |
Recommended examination frequency for the adult patient
| Patient age (years) | Asymptomatic/low risk | At-risk |
|---|---|---|
| 18 through 39 | At least every two years | At least annually, or as recommended |
| 40 through 64 | At least every two years | At least annually, or as recommended |
| 65 and older | Annually | At least annually, or as recommended |