Frequently Asked Questions about Annual Eye Exams that Our Ashburn Optometrist Answers
Have you ever had an annual eye exam? If you haven't, you're not alone. Many people who have never had the need for corrective lenses have never been to an eye doctor. However, even if you don't wear glasses or contact lenses, getting an annual eye exam is still important. Here are the answers to some common questions about annual eye exams and why you should get them regardless of whether or not you wear corrective lenses. Annual eye exams are for everyone.
FAQs About Your Annual Optometry Appointment
Why Should You Get an Annual Optometry Exam?
Your annual eye exam will determine whether you need corrective lenses, even if it is for the first time. It will also look for any eye diseases or conditions, and pinpoint them so they can be treated before they start interfering with your vision. Some of the conditions your eye doctor will check for include glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. This preserves your good vision. Your annual eye exam is important to your overall eye health.
What is the First Thing Our Ashburn Eye Doctor Will Do at the Exam?
The first thing optometrists typically do at these exams is to educate you about good eye health, including things you can do to maintain the good health of your eyes, protect our vision, and keep your eyes safe from injury. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you will get a review of safe and hygienic practices for wearing and caring for them.
What are the Eye Health Tests Like?
These tests are pretty simple, and only take a few seconds to a few minutes to complete. The glaucoma test can be done one of two ways. The most common way is to get a little blast of air in each eye. Some eye doctors still use the older method of briefly resting a probe on the surface of your eye, usually after giving you numbing drops so you won't blink when the probe touches you. Both methods measure the pressure in your eyes. The tests for macular degeneration and cataracts are done by shining bright lights into your eyes, sometimes after dilating your pupils to see deeply into the interior of your eyes, and sometimes not.
How are Your Eyes Tested for the Need for Vision Correction?
Next, you will be given a vision test to determine the clarity and sharpness of your vision. This involves you looking into a series of lenses of different refractions. The lenses are put in front of you, so you don't have to move to look into the different ones. You'll tell the eye doctor which lenses you see the most clearly through. You will also do the standard reading of the letters on an eye chart, using one eye, then the other, then both eyes. All of these things determine if you need corrective lenses, and what the prescription for those lenses should be.
What To Do Next? Schedule an Eye Exam Appointment at Optics&EYECARE in Ashburn, VA
Contact us for your initial appointment, where you will get your first annual eye exam. We are looking forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the Optics&EYECARE family. Remember, our optometry clinic serves the Ashburn, Broadlands, Waxpool, Sterling, Brambleton, and Lansdowne areas. Our optometrist works with most major eye care insurance policies. Call us at (703) 687-4719 with questions about yours before you make the appointment if you're not sure if we accept it.