A regular visit to an eye doctor important part of maintaining your health, but many people wait until they have a problem to start going. If you are going to your first eye exam, your first eye exam with an optometrist is relatively straightforward; however, first-time appointments may be more involved than routine ones. Knowing what will occur during the exam may help ease any nerves.

Optometry: What to expect from a first eye exam

Below, find out what to expect from a first-time optometry exam.

Medical History 

First-time optometry, the optometry will most likely be asked to provide some information about their medical history. This information can be helpful to the eye doctor when preparing to examine the patient's eyes. Any medical conditions or genetic issues may also help to explain specific eye abnormalities. Having this information ready for the first exam can be beneficial. 

Visual Acuity Test

Optometrists perform visual acuity tests on patients of all ages. These tests are essential for people who have vision problems. During this optometry exam, your doctor will ask you to identify letters of the alphabet printed on a chart or shown on a screen. This is called a Snellen chart, and the lines of letters get progressively smaller. Once the test is completed, the optometrist will determine the patient's eyesight.

If the results are unsatisfactory, the optometrist may prescribe glasses or contacts. 

Eye Pressure Test

If this is your first visit to the eye doctor, glaucoma (eye pressure) test may sound intimidating - don't worry! The glaucoma test is a simple procedure that measures the pressure in your inner eye. Our eye doctor will have you rest your chin in a machine while a small tool is moved very close to your vision for this test. Then, a little poof of air pressure will be blown into your eye. This test is rapid, and it is essential to stay very still and not blink.

Visual Field Test

The brain is very good at filling in any blank spots in your vision, which is what this test is designed to do. If you can see a light flash on a screen, you press a button; doing so repeatedly in different locations generates a map of the blanks in your vision. 

Slit-lamp Examination

The slit lamp shines a bright but painless light into one eye. It allows the doctor to examine your eye with a magnifying glass to look for abnormalities that may indicate disease. 

Indirect Ophthalmoscopy

A test to look at the inside back of your eye. The doctor uses an instrument on her head to direct light through a lens close to your eye, similar to a slit-lamp examination. 

Dilation

Your eye doctor may use eye drops to increase your pupils' size, making it easier to examine your retina. 

OCT Screening

 OCT stands for optical coherence tomography, which helps your eye doctor diagnose eye and optic nerve conditions. 

With these tests, your doctor can fully evaluate the health of your eyes. After your first eye exam, be sure to go regularly checking your eyes is just as important as a regular checkup. Reach out to us today so we can help answer questions or discuss any concerns. 

Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson is a Kerala-based eye wear expert and entrepreneur. He is one of the directors of Ejones Opticals, a company dedicated to providing the highest quality eye wear products at the most affordable prices. Eric has been in the eye wear business for over 10 years, and has a deep understanding of the industry. He is passionate about helping people look and feel their best through the right eye wear. Eric is committed to using his expertise to create stylish and functional eye wear that is tailored to each individual's needs.