Eye Exams from Our Celina and Plano Optometrists to Detect Vision Problems
A Waterloo Optometry study involving older adults found that nearly 80 percent discovered significant changes to their vision and eye health following a routine eye examination. As a result of having the exam, these adults required treatment or prescription changes necessary for optimizing their vision and maintaining eye health. However, if they had not had a comprehensive eye exam, their optometrists could not have detected unnoticed issues.
According to the author of the study Dr. Elizabeth Irving “everyone–especially older people who present no symptoms still need routine eye examinations so that eye doctors can find and correct progressive visual conditions”. In addition, about 40 percent of the study’s participants reported they did not have headaches, blurry vision or other eye-related conditions prior to receiving their eye exam.
Importance of Annual Eye Exams in Plano and Celina
Adults over 40 should have a complete eye exam once a year, as long as they remain asymptomatic and do not notice vision problems. The American Association of Optometry recommends adults between 55 and 64 years old receive an eye exam every one to three years. Seniors 65+ should visit their eye doctor every one to two years and diabetics need to have dilated eye exams every year to detect early onset of diabetic retinopathy.
In addition to detecting eye diseases that do not initially produce symptoms (especially glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration), optometrists can also discover whether mild vision impairment caused by flashers and floaters, dry eye syndrome and even eyelid problems are signs of more serious conditions. While some eye problems are age-related, others may emerge from undiagnosed diabetes, hypertension or heart disease.
What Happens During a Comprehensive Eye Exam?
While seated comfortable in a chair, your Prosper, Celina or Frisco optometrists perform the following tests:
- Visual acuity
- Color blindness
- Cover and ocular motility tests (determines how well your eyes synchronize with each other)
- Depth perception
- Retinoscopy and refraction (for creating your lens prescription)
- Slit lamp test (for detecting corneal ulcers, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts)
Adults over 40 are typically given visual field tests to check for the presence of scotomas, or blind spots in the peripheral vision. Blind spots may indicate glaucoma or undiagnosed brain damage caused by tumors or strokes.
To schedule an eye exam with your Plano office call 972-378-4104 Celina or 972-382-2020 , please call our office today.