Time and time again, doctors of all specialties show the correlation between all areas of the body. Signs of disease in your heart can be found through your teeth. Cancer signs can be found through your eyes. Eating disorders can be linked to your ears. And the list goes on. The key to this information is that all parts of the body work together to form one machine. When working properly, in unison, the machine is flawless. However, when one part starts to falter, the rest of the machine may begin to self-destruct. That is why it is essential to not just go to your general practitioner for annual check-ups, but to your specialists, such as the dentist, ENT, and even eye doctor on a regular basis.
The Frequency of Regular Eye Exams
Every area of the body has a different recommended frequency for exams. Dentists suggest individuals with a healthy mouth have a dental exam once every six months. General practitioners recommend a healthy individual have a check-up once per year. In the same vein, eye doctors recommend healthy patients under a certain age receive an extensive eye exam once every two years, then, as they age, once a year. This includes dilating the eyes, performing vision tests, and even examining the eyes manually. This frequency allows a doctor to notice any changes in your vision and address the issues as they occur.
What to Expect from Your Eye Exam
Whether or not you already wear corrective eyewear, your eye exam will focus the same general eye concerns and issues. Most eye exams will begin with the eye chart. This is where you eye doctor will be able to determine your ability to see distance, both near and far. The eye chart is usually repeated covering one eye and then the other to determine the distance each eye can see on its own. From here, many doctors move directly into the eye movement test, asking you to follow his finger, or other instruments, moving only your eyes, while keeping your head still. From here, your doctor will likely conduct a color blindness test, which is very similar to the find the hidden picture type paintings where a group of dots create a shape or number inside a larger group of dots in a separate color. Sometimes, a doctor will then perform the depth perception tests, to determine your ability to use depth perception. Once these types of tests are completed, the eye doctor will likely use a site lamp to examine the curvature of your eyes and then perform a glaucoma test to make sure you are not developing glaucoma.
Should your doctor determine that you require corrective lenses, he or she will move to the next series of tests, which will help determine the exact prescription of your corrective lenses. Not all patients require these tests, as they are designed to simply determine the patient’s eyewear prescription to begin to manufacture the eye glasses or contacts.
If you are in need of a regular eye exam, contact the experts at Rittenhouse Eye Associates at 215) 525-6821 to schedule you eye exam.
