What Should I Expect During a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Here at The Optical Co, we take extreme care and diligence with eye exams to ensure you get the best care and service, so that we can help identify any problems with your vision or eye health early so that you get the best long-term results.

We classify our annual (regular) eye exams as ‘comprehensive’ eye exams, even when they are bulk billed, given the expertise and skill of our eye care professionals that go above and beyond to give you detailed and extensive results, paired with the advanced assessment methods and medical technology we use in-house such as digital retinal photography and optical coherence tomography scans.

We understand how unnerving it can feel to experience a disturbance or problem with your eyes and vision, so after each assessment, we ensure to take the time and care to explain your findings carefully, answer of your questions, and leave you feeling confident about the best approach to treatment and the outcomes you can expect. Here’s an overview of our eye test process and the signs that it may be time to book your next eye test.

Comprehensive Eye Tests: The Process

While there may be several ‘standard’ steps in an eye examination, your assessment will be tailored based on your medical history and some of your preliminary findings. We always personalise your care and provide timely and specific advice to help you get the best outcomes for your eye health. Generally, you can expect:

Your history
Typically we start by going through your personal and family health and medical history, which includes detailing when your symptoms began (if you’re experiencing any), medications you’re taking, work and environmental factors, and more.

Visual acuity testing
Next, we’ll perform visual acuity testing using a reading chart to assess exactly how clearly and sharply each eye can see at various distances.

Refraction testing

Instruments with various lenses will then be used to determine which if any lenses are appropriate to correct sight. In some cases

Spectacles may be considered to relieve eyestrain whilst doing various tasks.

Included is a binocular vision assessment which reviews eye movements including that the eyes work together as a team.

Additionally color vision, peripheral (side vision) and other functions are assessed as appropriate.

Binocular vision assessment

We may also test other aspects of your eye health and vision, such as your depth perception, colour vision, peripheral (side) vision and how your pupils respond to light.

Retinal photography
Retinal photography is a quick and painless way for optometrists to look inside your eye and track changes to your eye health and vision. We use a fundus camera to take high-resolution, coloured 2D images to examine your retina – the tissue lining the back of your eye. These images are saved electronically to allow us to keep track of any changes in your eye health over time. In future visits, they can pick up on many eye concerns even before you have any noticeable symptoms.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used to produce detailed 3D images instead as an alternative to retinal photography.

Ocular health assessment
A very important part of your assessment is checking the health of your eyes and looking for any potential issues. This may involve using various instruments, to examine the front structures of your eyes, including the cornea, iris, and lens. Your eye care professional may also dilate your pupils using eye drops to examine the back of your eyes, including the retina and optic nerve.

Results discussion
After your exam is completed, your eye care professional will be able to discuss any diagnoses or issues that have been identified, along with treatment or management plan options to protect your eye health. This can range from simply advising monitoring and changes to your daily habits (such as shifting your computer screen away from your eyes) to fitting you with custom prescription glasses or contact lenses to correct your eyesight best. If a significant concern is found, such as if you have signs of an underlying eye disease or other problems, we can also refer you to an ophthalmologist for further testing and care.

As with any of our services, you’ll have plenty of time to ask any questions and discuss any concerns about the future of your vision or eye health.

Ready to book your comprehensive eye exam with one of our leading eye care professionals? Contact an Optical Co clinic near you here.