Eye Exams: They're Not Just About Visual Acuity
Most people think of an eye exam as the routine the eye doctor goes through in order to determine whether you need glasses or contacts, and then what strength those glasses or contacts need to be. This is a part of an eye exam. In fact, this part of the exam has its own name: visual acuity testing. However, visual acuity testing is just one component of the eye exam. Your eye doctor needs to do more than just determine whether you need glasses. Here are some other issues they will check for.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition brought on by an increase in pressure inside your eye. You can't feel the pressure increase, but eventually, it will lead to damage to your ocular nerve, which results in vision loss. Glaucoma is one of the key things eye doctors look for during an eye exam since they want to detect it before you develop vision loss from it. They detect the condition with a simple test that involves shooting a puff of air into your eye and measuring how strongly your eye bounces back.
Ocular Cancers
There are many different cancers of the eye. You can develop melanoma at the back of your eye or carcinoma on your eyelid. Sometimes you can see the cancerous growths yourself, but not always. An eye doctor will use a special microscope to look inside your eye and take note of any potentially cancerous growths that you may otherwise not notice for months.
Muscle Disorders
One thing you will notice during an eye exam is that your eye doctor will ask you to look one direction, and then the next. They will ask you to follow an object up, down, and side to side. This is to detect any muscular disorders, which may also indicate a neurological condition that needs treatment.
Retinal Damage
Your retina is a very important tissue at the back of your eye. It gathers light and sends signals to your optic nerve. There are a number of diseases that can cause retinal damage, and the sooner they are treated, the better. Your eye doctor can usually diagnose these conditions by looking at the retina through a special microscope with a bright light.
Eye exams are about assessing visual acuity, but they are also about so much more. They are a really important step to take for ongoing eye health and wellness.