Many of you go to your family doctors to get regular physical examinations. Many of you also visit the dentist twice a year to ensure the health of your teeth. However, some of you might take one aspect of your health for granted, specifically your eyesight. Just like a physical or dental checkup, annual visits to your eye care practitioner are necessary to guarentee healthy and normal vision. We sometimes overlook that the world as we know and percieve it, is brought to us via our eyes. In fact, almost four fifths of all the sensory information our brains receive daily comes from our eyes. Consequently, it is of vital importance to monitor their health from year to year. An annual visitation allows your eye care professional to evaluate any changes and correct any diffuculties that you may be having with your sight. The message is clear, early diagnosis of any potential problems decreases the chances of severe damage to your sight. Older adults, in particular, should be aware that the probability of having vision disorders increases with age. Even though you might not be experiencing any trouble, the threat is there and you should visit your eyecare practitioner regularly. If you are having reservations about seeing your eye doctor please continue reading about what you might encounter from a routine vision examination. You will come to find eye examinations are a painless and informative method for assessing your eyes.

Reasons To Visit Your Eye Care Practitioner

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Preliminary Examination

1. The Routine
2. Visual Acuity Tests
3. Color Vision Testing
4. Blood Pressure
5. Other Tests

1. The Routine

The basic eye examination requires about 30-60 minutes. This may vary depending on the number of tests deemed necessary. Generally, most doctors will begin by asking you some common questions. They will inquire about any complaints you currently have with your vision. If you have any, then you will be asked the duration of the problem and degree that affects you. There will also be questions concerning the time since your last eye exam, any pre-existing eye problems, your occupation, hobbies, and general health status. In addition, questions about your families eye health history, any allergic reactions to medications, and current medications you might be using will probably be asked (you should bring a list of all medications--prescribed and over-the-counter--you are taking). The purpose of this query is to provide the doctor with an idea of what may be afflicting your vision. It also highlights any potential problems that may arise based on your families eye health history and occupation.

One of the first tests that you will encounter is a visual acuity test. This is performed using the familiar chart with rows of letters. You will be asked to read progressively smaller rows of letters until they become indistinguishable. Even if you have to guess, try to make out the smallest letters possible to help aid the eye care practitioner in obtaining a good idea of your visual acuity. If the doctor reports that you have 20/20 vision, you can see a __ inch letter at a distance of 20 feet. If you have for example, 20/40 vision, this indicates that what you can read at 20 feet can be read by a normal eye at 40 feet. In addition to the distance visual test, a similar near vision test will probably be conducted.

Color vision defects are common, expecialy for males. The most familiar color vision problem involves confusing reds and greens. Some individuals may also have problems with colors in the blue-yellow range. The standard test for assesing color vision defects is the Pseudoisochromatic plates described below.

•The Pseudoisochromatic plates--This test is contained in a book and consists of a variety of color plates. The plates have different patterns such as numbers, letters, figures, or a winding path within a series of dots that vary in hue and brightness from the background. For example, one plate may have a background of orange dots and the figure will be in olive dots. To a person with normal color vision, this is easily distinguished but to someone who is dichromatic (two colors appear to be the same like red and green) no figure will be seen.

One usually assumes that taking one's blood pressure is a general physicians procedure. However, people generally do not visit their family doctor on a regular basis and therefore do not regularly have their blood pressure measured. A visit to your eyecare specialist should and in most cases takes place either annually or biannually. Because these visits are more frequent it has become common practice for optometrists to measure your blood pressure to detect patients with hypertension. Signs of hypertension may also be seen when the inside of the eye is examined. Usually, hypertension is associated with heart and kidney complications but it affects vision as well. Screening for hypertension is an invaluable tool to the public because it may alert individuals about a potentially debilitating health or vision problem.

• Motility
• Pupillary Response
• Cover Test
• Near Point of Convergence

Motility

The doctor will ask you to focus on a near target (most likely their finger) and follow it as he/she traces a broad letter "H." This tests the ability of your eyes to follow the target. It will indicate any problem with the nerve supply to your eye muscles or problems with the muscles themselves.

Cover Test

The first part of this test is the unilateral cover test. While wearing your corrective eyewear, you will be asked to focus on a letter of the distance eye chart. The optometrist will then cover your right eye while watching for a movement of the left eye. Upon removing the occluder, the optometrist will wait for a few seconds to allow your eyes to return to equilibrium then will proceed by covering the left eye. If the eye not being covered moves to fixate the target (with both eyes open one eye is not aimed at the point of interest) that eye was not being used. This is referred to as a strabismus. The alternating cover test is very similar to the unilateral cover test but the main difference is that the occluder is switched from one eye to the next. If the eye just uncovered moves this is called a phoria. This means that in the resting position both eyes are not aimed at the target. Consequently, you must use effort to keep both eyes fixated on the target. This can cause eye strain and headaches. Prisms in your spectacles or visual training may be required.

Near Point of Convergence

The purpose of this test is to inspect your ability to converge your eyes. The practitioner will ask you to focus on a near target. As it is brought closer and closer to your nose, you will be asked when you first see two targets. There is a normal range at which you should be able to see a single target.