After frolicking in the summer sun, it has become a grand idea to have an annual check-up on the eyes as people return to work and school. To reinforce a good health practice on the National Calendar, the government made a designated day to check on the vision of its citizens. As our Constitution so finely states informed citizenship makes a sound democracy. Combining patriotism and eyesight seemed like a way to take care of basic health needs and fortify a nation.
Ophthalmologist or optometrist
Two main types of eye doctors exist ophthalmologist and optometrist. An optometrist does the primary health care of eyes such as vision tests, eye exams, and treats common conditions that take eyeglasses and contact lenses. Ophthalmologist offers similar services to the optometrist but also offer surgery and medical care for conditions or diseases of the eye. Ophthalmologists treat eye conditions caused by chronic diseases such as arthritis and diabetes.
What happens during an eye exam?
Before ever reading a chart, an eye doctor will get your medical history and ask about family medical history. Be ready to give a list of medications since medicine can affect eyesight. If you wear corrective lenses presently an eye doctor will ask about that prescription as well. Reading an eye chart checks the visual acuity (how a person discerns a series of letters or numbers at a given distance). A patient will cover one eye then the other to read the chart. Then the eye doctor will have you look through a phoropter. The phoropter defines as a device that has different lenses. The eye doctor will change these out and determine which prescription eyeglasses or contact lens will work for your condition.
Next, the eye doctor checks how your eye responds to light. Facing you, the eye doctor will shine a bright beam of light directly at the pupil of your eye. Pupils normally respond by getting smaller. If they do not, it indicates an underlying issue or medication, and the eye doctor will explore that. Eye doctors then do a test to check side (peripheral) vision since some diseases affect that. The eye doctor may check if the eyes align properly when viewing an object.
Some eye doctors check for eye pressure, especially if the family medical history indicates that the issue has occurred. Using a tonometry device, the doctor will determine the intraocular pressure inside the eye. It indicates the internal health of the eye. Most eye doctors move on to a slit-lamp microscope. Looking intensely at the eyelids, iris, cornea, and lens the doctor checks for scars, scratches, or cataracts.
Next, come the eye drops. The eye doctor places the drops in the eye to cause dilation of the pupils. While the pupils widen, he or she will examine the back of the eye called the retina and around the optic nerve, which sends the sensory information to the brain.
Other tests exist that can become done, but the direction a comprehensive eye exam takes depends on the information a person gave during the exam. Once complete the eye doctor will chat about what was found and what can be done such as if you are a candidate for laser eye surgery.
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