Comprehensive Eye Exam Specialist

What is a comprehensive eye exam?

A comprehensive eye exam includes all the standard vision tests, as well as other screenings to identify problems that aren’t discovered during vision screening. Your doctor at ModernEyes Ophthalmology evaluates the complete health of your eyes, checking for glaucoma, cataracts, and other common concerns.

A tonometry test is used to measure eye pressure and your cornea, iris, and lens are thoroughly examined with a specialized device called a slit lamp. A comprehensive eye exam also includes dilation so the doctor can see your retina and optic nerve. Many other specialized tests may be performed depending on the results of these routine tests.

Why is it important to get a routine comprehensive eye exam?

Many people don’t schedule an eye exam until there’s something noticeably wrong with their eyes or vision. The problem with that approach is that many serious eye conditions, like glaucoma, don’t cause symptoms in the early stage. By the time you have symptoms, you may already have permanent vision loss.

About 16% of those who don’t have vision problems learn they have a critical eye problem when they’re examined, while almost half of all adults are surprised to learn their vision has changed. Eye exams can also reveal health problems like diabetes, hypertension, and inflammatory disorders.

When should children get an eye exam?

Children should have their vision screened by six months of age, then they should have their eyes examined every two to four years until the age of 18 years. Your child may need additional testing or more frequent eye exams if they’re at a higher risk due to:

• Premature birth
• Low birth weight
• Family history of congenital eye conditions (cataract, strabismus, amblyopia)
• Infection of mother during pregnancy (rubella, toxoplasmosis, venereal disease, herpes, AIDS)
• Difficult or assisted labor with low Apgar scores
• Developmental delay, seizures, hydrocephalus, dysmorphic features
• High refractive error

When should adults get a comprehensive eye exam?

Experts recommend having a baseline examination by the age of 40 years because early signs of disease can often be seen by that age. It also gives your doctor at ModernEyes Ophthalmology a comparison to use going forward, which is important for detecting subtle changes that may indicate problems like glaucoma.

The recommended schedule for adult eye exams is:

• Under 40 years of age: every five to 10 years
• 40-54 years of age: every two to four years
• 55-64 years of age: every one to three years
• Age 65 and older: every one or two years

You’ll need more frequent eye examinations if you’re at a higher risk for eye disease due to:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Glaucoma or family history of glaucoma
• AIDS/HIV
• Medications known to cause eye problems