Comprehensive Eye Check-Up
Comprehensive Eye Check-Up
An eye check-up is a comprehensive medical examination of the eyes. It includes visual acuity, color vision, refractive error, ocular health and structure of the eye.
The most common cause of vision impairment is an eye disease or injury. Some common causes are: diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and trauma to the eye.
The most important part of an eye check-up is to test for any diseases that may affect your vision or cause blindness.
Regular eye check-up vs. comprehensive eye check-up
Typically, when you think you may need glasses, you receive a basic eye check-up. Your eyes are checked to determine visual sharpness and to see if you suffer from astigmatism, myopia (near-sightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). These routine, regular eye exams usually start when you’re a kid to determine if you need a prescription for glasses.
If you don’t have any vision problems you’ll have these check-up far less than people who do.
Comprehensive eye check-up check for more serious issues. These check-up look for a number of different possible diseases or other vision problems. Both your medical and family history are generally used to determine whether you need this type of eye check-up. For example, if you have a history of glaucoma, it’s a good idea to schedule a comprehensive eye check-up.
What does a comprehensive eye check-up cover?
These check-up test your visual sharpness and the strengths of each individual eye. The purpose is to provide a full analysis of possible diseases and impairments. To do this, your doctor will perform a number of tests, including:
- Color blindness test to ensure you can correctly identify different colors
- Cover test to check for a lazy eye or another issue that could cause eye strain
- Slit-lamp test to examine your eye structure and look for anything out of the ordinary
Each test is catered to your individual needs, based on your family and health history. Unlike routine eye check-up, a comprehensive eye check-up is completed by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist (and often they work together to develop a diagnosis).
Optometrists are essentially the primary source of eye care. They typically perform exams and prescribe glasses and/or contacts. Ophthalmologists are specialists who diagnose eye conditions and perform treatments and surgeries to correct the problem.
It’s recommended to get a comprehensive eye check-up at least every two years. However, if you’re over the age of 60, you could benefit from frequent exams to address any issues from your changing vision.
