Healthy Vision, Eye Exams, and You
Eyes are absolutely amazing! They start working from the moment we wake up until the time we close them to go to sleep. Our eyes, each about the size of a ping pong ball, change constantly and rapidly taking in an exceptional amount of data and images about the world and our surroundings. All of that information is then transferred by the optic nerve to the brain for processing so we know what’s going on outside of our body. You might be interested to know that the work that our eye muscles do require as much energy as our leg muscles would use if they walked 50 miles – talk about hard work!
One of the ways in which our eyes take care of themselves is through the reflex of blinking. Did you know that we blink about 11,500 times per day? That equates to 4.2 million times per year. Every blink we take spreads tears over the eye surface to keep the eye moist and protect the eye by rinsing away bacteria and other foreign matter. The blinking reflex also helps prevent eye trauma since the eyes automatically close whenever danger is perceived.
Healthy eyes are important and good eye and vision care is essential in order to keep everything running smoothly. The eyes you have will be yours forever and you will want to protect your vision for the future. The eye and vision care professionals at OPI can help you every step of the way to take care of and maintain the best vision
possible.
- Get regular, comprehensive eye exams. Early, preventative care is the best way to detect many vision and health concerns before they occur.
- Protect your eyes. Wear goggles for sports, eye protection when you work, and sunglasses whenever necessary.
- Ask about options when vision correction is necessary. There are vision correction solutions to fit every lifestyle – glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, PRK, IOLs, etc. Discuss and explore the options with your OPI doctor.
- Recognize the signs and watch for symptoms. Many things can affect your vision including age, lifestyle, sports, changes in vision, headaches or eye pain, medical conditions, family history and genetic predispositions, and medications. Talk with your OPI doctor about the particulars of your life to effectively manage your vision health care.
- Recognize and seek treatment from qualified professionals. The doctors at OPI are certified and skilled at providing you expert treatment and care of your vision condition.
Q: How often should I get an eye examination?
A: Frequency depends upon age and circumstances.
- Children, if having difficulty seeing, should have an exam yearly up until age 18.
- Adults, with no difficulty seeing, should have an exam every 2 years.
- Adults with vision problems, a potential for problems due to family history, or certain medical conditions such as diabetes, should have an exam once a year or more frequently as directed by their doctor.
* Have your eyes checked immediately if there are any changes to or loss of vision including the conditions of blurred vision, double vision, eye pain and headaches, flashes of light, eye trauma, excessive and constant watering, very red or itchy eyes, spots, or increased sensitivity to light. Reminder: Do not accept the myth that, “There is nothing that you can do to prevent vision loss.” The fact is this: At the very first sign of vision loss or change such as blurred vision or flashes
of light, see your OPI doctor. If detected early enough, depending on the cause, there are treatments that can correct, stop, or slow down the loss of vision.
Q: What are the basic parts of an eye exam?
One of the most important parts of an eye examination is writing down the patient’s history. Essential background information includes family history of medical conditions, list of patient’s current medications, patient’s job setting, and patient’s medical history. This history helps the doctor assess your particular case, determines how to proceed, and provides a base of information that will be added to so that the doctor can make a diagnosis and set a treatment plan as necessary. Each examination is also documented with the reason for the visit such as chief complaint or annual exam, and a description of any symptoms, pain or discomfort, progression of problem and any other pertinent information.
Checking Visual Acuity and Refraction Visual acuity is the vital sign of the eye and, with the help of an eye chart, the doctor can determine the general health of your eyes. You may have heard the term 20/20. The top number stands for the distance from the patient to the eye chart, 20 feet. The bottom number stands for the smallest size of letters or figures that the patient can correctly identify. Visual acuity is measured one eye at a time and one eye is completely covered while the other eye is being tested. Visual acuity is often done in conjunction with a refraction or refractometry to determine whether one needs the visual correction of glasses or contacts.
Generally, a phoropter, an instrument containing many lenses that are moved into place with dials, is used to assess each eye. The lenses are changed as the patient looks at the eye chart and indicates which lens provides the best vision.
Observing and evaluating the pupil provides information about the nervous system as well as the eye. Notes about the pupil will include its shape, size, and reaction to light among others. In a complete eye exam, the patient’s pupils are dilated enabling the doctor to see inside the eye. Examining the inside of the eye is an essential step in determining the
overall health of your eyes and allows the doctor to note any changes that may be of concern; changes that could not be seen otherwise.
Eye pressure is another important tool that the doctor uses to get an overview of the health of your eyes. If your eye pressure is out of the normal range, the doctor can be alerted to potential problems such as glaucoma. Eye pressure should be checked at each examination especially if you have or are a glaucoma suspect, or if you have diabetes.
This of course covers the basic elements of an exam. Examinations of course are tailored to the particular needs of the patient and can include other tests and specialized analysis. Optimum care can be established through regular visits with your OPI doctor.
Your eyes + the OPI Team = Outstanding Vision Care
