Optometrists Take a Look

What To Expect During Your First Eye Exam

Do you have an upcoming eye exam scheduled because you finally feel like you need glasses, and you've never gone to an optometrist in your life? You'll definitely want to know what to expect during your first-ever eye exam so that you can be well prepared.

Medical History Overview

You'll start by filling out some forms about your medical history since the optometrist wants to know about all the potential things that could impact your vision. You may not know it, but various health problems regarding blood circulation can have an impact on your eyes. Your doctor will not know what medical conditions you have unless they do a thorough overview. Thankfully, future visits will only involve updating these forms. 

Preliminary Testing

There are some preliminary tests that you'll take at the start of the eye exam, such as a peripheral vision test. This can let your optometrist know that something is blocking the signal being sent from your eye to the brain, and it's important to determine that early on in the eye exam process. You'll also have your blood pressure taken, which is due to all of those problems poor blood circulation can have.

There is also a color vision test that is performed, which is to ensure that you are seeing accurate colors. This may not even be a problem that you know exists and can improve your quality of life by knowing an area where you are lacking accurate vision. Depth perception is also measured, which can affect the type of vision correction you need for driving or playing sports. 

Optometrist Exam

You'll then meet with the optometrist to get to the main part of the eye exam, which involves determining what kind of vision correction you may need. You'll take a refraction test, which is when you'll be asked which image presented to you is more clear. They'll then use a slit lamp to check for infections and diseases, such as cataracts. 

Some optometrists will use eye drops to dilate your eyes so they can look at your retina. However, the dilation process can cause your vision to look blurry afterward. Some optometrists can take a digital photo of your retina, which doesn't require dilation or cause blurry vision afterward. 

Have questions about your first eye exam? Try this: reach out to an optometrist in your area so that they can let you know what to expect at their office. 


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