When Was Your Last Eye Exam?

Can you remember the last time you saw your eye doctor? Keeping up with routine eye exams is an important part of your overall preventative health care. Just as you would see your primary care physician for a regular checkup, you should schedule annual eye exams with your eye doctor.

Annual eye exams are an important element of your preventative health care. A comprehensive eye exam in which your eyes are dilated is the most effective method for diagnosing unhealthy eyes and eye conditions. Some eye conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration may have no symptoms, and can only be detected in an eye exam. When detected early, these many eye conditions can be treated, which may in fact save your vision.

What to expect from your comprehensive eye exam

During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor will run a series of tests to look for signs of eye disease and/or vision impairment. What your doctor finds during your exam will help guide the exam and may call for supplemental tests. A comprehensive exam may include procedures including (but not limited to):

• Measurements of visual activity
• Tests of specific vision functions
• Eye health evaluation
• Refraction tests
• Eye focusing, eye teaming and eye movement testing

Depending on the findings of your exam, your doctor will provide recommendations for treatment and/or vision correction. Recommendations may include contact lenses, prescription glasses or and LASIK eye surgery.

Before you see your eye doctor, be sure you know your family eye health history. Some eye conditions are hereditary, and just as your doctor should know of any family history of heart disease, diabetes or cancer, your eye doctor should know of any family history of eye conditions or eye disease. Knowing your family eye health history and informing your eye doctor of any family history of eye conditions will help determine if you may be at a higher risk of developing these conditions.

Schedule your eye exam today

Is it time for you to have your eyes checked? Contact the Dallas, Plano and Arlington vision experts at the Key-Whitman Eye Center to schedule your comprehensive eye exam today!