Eye exams are vital to your overall health. In addition to assessing how well you see, your eye care provider will test for common eye diseases, assess how your eyes are working together, and more. Serious health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure can often be detected during an eye exam. As a result, these type of health issues can be monitored to stay on top of them better. A comprehensive eye exam detects a lot of these health issues.

What does a comprehensive eye exam include?

Most comprehensive eye exams include the following:

• Visual acuity to test the sharpness of your vision, usually with an eye chart
• Refraction to determine your exact eyeglass prescription
• Slit lamp to check for common eye diseases and conditions
• Retinal photo screenings to test for diabetic retinopathy and examine the optic nerve, retina, and blood vessels
  
• Tonometry to test for glaucoma

How often should I get a comprehensive eye exam?
Most eye care professionals recommend yearly eye exams. But it depends on your age, risk factors, and whether or not you wear corrective lenses. The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends children have their eyes examined at 6 months old, three years old, at the start of school, and every two years until age 18. For adults, the AOA recommends a comprehensive eye exam every two years for ages 18 to 60 at minimum and annual exams for seniors age 61 and older.

What about contact lens exams?
A comprehensive eye exam typically does not include a contact lens fitting. So you may need to schedule a separate contact lens exam.

Other Optometric Services:

• Custom contact lens fittings – including disposables, lenses for astigmatism and bifocals
• Eyeglasses & Sunglasses Selection – including designer lines
• Diagnosis and treatment of eye disease
• Specialized testing and care for cataracts, glaucoma, and others
• Pre-and post-operative care for eye disease
• Eye emergencies
• Foreign object removal
• Pediatric eye exams