Regular eye exams are an important way to maintain your eye health and vision. So, when it’s time to have your eyes checked, make sure you see an ophthalmologist for the comprehensive eye care you deserve.
Importance of Regular Eye Exams
Comprehensive eye exams are noninvasive tests that check the health of your eyes and assess your vision. They are important at every stage of life and can help to preserve vision by identifying eye diseases in their early stages when treatment is typically most effective.
Eye exams not only help to address eye conditions, but they can also help to detect systemic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and rheumatoid arthritis before more obvious symptoms become evident. For this reason, regular eye exams should be seen as an essential part of maintaining good overall health.
How an Ophthalmologist Can Help
An ophthalmologist specializes in eye and vision care. They are highly skilled doctors who have completed 12-14 years of training and education, including medical school. Their advanced training allows them to diagnose and treat a broad range of simple to complex eye issues.
Ophthalmologists provide all levels of eye care. They are trained to perform eye surgery, do eye exams, prescribe medication for eye conditions like an eye infection, and even prescribe corrective lenses for vision problems. These treatments improve and preserve vision to ensure your eyes remain in good health.
What Can I Expect at An Eye Exam?
A comprehensive eye exam is painless and gives your ophthalmologist information about your vision and eye health. The test can tell them whether you need corrective lenses and can identify eye-related problems, such as:
- Changes in vision
- Problems with any of the muscles that support the eyes
- Refractive errors
- myopia (nearsightedness)
- hyperopia (farsightedness)
- astigmatism (blurriness at any or all distances)
- presbyopia (age-related hyperopia).
- Cancers or tumors in the eye
The eye exam usually includes the following types of tests:
Visual Acuity Test
This test evaluates how well you’re able to see at different distances and involves reading letters on an eye chart. Your ophthalmologist may ask you to wear different lenses when conducting the test, to see if the lenses help you to see better.
There are alternative visual acuity tests available for young children and for people who have difficulties reading letters. The test helps your ophthalmologist determine whether you need corrective lenses to improve your vision and the type of prescription lenses you need.
Eye Health and Function Test
As well as checking your vision, routine eye exams also include a variety of screenings to assess overall eye health and help identify if there are any signs of eye disease. Some eye diseases, such as glaucoma, do not have symptoms in their early stages but can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated. Detecting eye diseases and starting treatment early can help to preserve vision and prevent the progression of eye diseases.
In some instances, the eye exam may also identify signs of common medical issues, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. If there are health concerns that aren’t related directly to the eye, your ophthalmologist can refer you to the right medical specialist for further investigation.
During your eye exam, your ophthalmologist will conduct a variety of tests to assess:
- Depth perception
- Color vision
- The health of the optic nerve and retina
- The appearance of the cornea and other parts of the eye
- Pressure within the eye
- Peripheral vision (side vision)
- How well the eyes work together
- The pupil’s response to light
Even if you think your eyesight is fine, it is best to have it checked regularly, as vision can deteriorate gradually without you even realizing it. Prescription lenses, minimally invasive laser surgery, and other treatments can all help to improve and preserve vision. For comprehensive eye care, don’t delay, visit an ophthalmologist today.
Ophthalmologist Near Me in Miramar, South Florida
Without a healthy vision, it can affect all areas of your life. If you want to find an ophthalmologist that provides comprehensive eye exams near you, visit the highly trained ophthalmologists and optometrists at Miramar Eye Institute in South Florida.
We offer a variety of services including comprehensive eye exams, medical treatment of eye diseases, and laser vision correction surgery. We will work with you to keep your vision and eye health at its best.
To schedule a consultation or an eye exam, contact us today at (954) 437-4316 or use our appointment request form now. We look forward to treating all your eye-related needs!