Say EYE DO to Optimal Vision and Eye Examination

and NO to Vision Loss…

Going for an eye examination is an essential part of being healthy. The timings of the eye exam and what’s included in those exams are crucial. Your vision can last you a lifetime if you get the timing correct. An eye exam isn’t just a letter test. It’s a complete exam that includes several small tests, each of which gives information about the different parts of your visual system. Your eyes may be small compared to the rest of your body, but they have complex and sophisticated structures.

Why do you need to have your eyes tested?

Eye exams help identify the early signs when it comes to eye conditions. Several eye diseases don’t show obvious signs and symptoms, especially during the initial stages. Early diagnosis is crucial in getting the right treatment early and possibly saving your vision.

What’s the difference between an ophthalmologist and optometrist?

Both eye experts play important roles in providing care for your eyes. The difference lies in their levels of expertise and training. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor, licensed to practice medicine and surgery, who specialises in eye and vision care. An ophthalmologist can diagnose, manage, and treat all types of eye diseases. Ophthalmology is a medical specialty that has several subspecialties for which an ophthalmologist can undergo further training. He’s now referred to as a subspecialist. Examples of subspecialty areas of ophthalmology are paediatrics, cornea, retina, and glaucoma.
An optometrist is a professional who provides vision care on the basic level. This includes sight testing, diagnosis, and treatment of vision changes. They don’t have a medical degree but instead receive a Doctor of Optometry degree (OD). They’re given a license to practice optometry. They perform eye exams, vision tests, prescription of corrective lenses, diagnosis of certain eye problems, and prescription of a limited number of medications for a few eye conditions.

Your Vision Changes as You Age

Unlike a kidney, knee, or hip, your eyes (the two of them) can’t be replaced. The world of medicine is still wondering and working on that one. If you’re 65 years old and above, regularly scheduled eye exams are vital to prevent, manage, and treat eye diseases and conditions that become more frequent as you age. These include cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease (a complication of diabetes). The ideal timing of an eye exam once you reach 65 years and above is every one to two years. Your ophthalmologist will decide if you need more frequent visits and testing.
As you pass your 40s, the lens inside your eyes becomes less flexible, a part of the wear and tear processes happening in your body. As a result, your eyes have difficulty focusing on near objects. It’s called presbyopia. It can’t be avoided or cured, but most people can deal with it comfortably with the help of modern medicine. To regain focus and clarity on near objects, you have a lot of options: eyeglasses, contact lenses, laser surgery, and other surgical procedures that involve refraction.

What are the common causes of vision loss or impairment?

Amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus are the most frequent cause of vision impairment in children.
Cataract, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma are leading causes of low vision and blindness among the elderly population on a global scale. In Australia, the most common causes of blindness among people aged 55 years or more are age-related macular degeneration (50%), glaucoma (16%), and cataract (12%). The leading causes of blindness among the elderly in New Zealand are age-related macular degeneration (48%), glaucoma (16%), and cataract (11%).
Job-related eye injuries are also a cause of concern for vision loss or impairment.

How vision loss affects your life

Vision loss affects almost every aspect of your life. It has a negative impact on your quality of life.
If you’re visually impaired, you have certain restrictions on your independence, educational attainment, and mobility.
Let’s not forget your increased risk for fractures, falls, and other injuries.
You may have poor mental health and difficulty learning and understanding the invisible world around you.
You may be isolated from your friends and family.
Vision loss can also worsen other chronic conditions if you have them like hypertension and diabetes.
Vision loss can increase your daily and long-term expenditures.

When should you have an eye exam?

Below are general guidelines on when and how frequent eye exams should happen. Remember that other factors like your age, health status, presence of chronic conditions, and risk of developing eye problems can affect these recommended schedules.

Newborns, Infants, and Toddlers
1. Most common eye problems at this age include crossed eyes, lazy eyes, and misaligned eyes. The paediatrician is usually the first one who does the eye exam at this age. As part of the newborn physical examination, your baby’s eyes will be examined for obvious physical signs. Any follow-up visits should still include basic eye examination for infants. A complete eye exam can be done when your child reaches the age of three.
School-age children and teens
1. Before your child starts school, have his or her vision checked.
2. If there are no problems, have your child’s vision checked every one to two years. The ophthalmologist may opt to increase the frequency of visits depending on the assessment.
Adults
A healthy adult with no vision problems may proceed with the general guidelines below:

During and After the Eye Exam

If you’re using eyeglasses or contact lenses, don’t forget to bring them to your eye examination. Your ophthalmologist will want to determine if your prescription lenses are the optimal ones for you. The ophthalmologist will obtain details on your medical history and any problems related to your vision.
Visual acuity test will be done to determine if you’ll be needing glasses (or contact lenses) to improve your vision.
The front and inside of your eyes will be examined after putting some numbing drops and dilating drops. Both optic drops will make it easier for the ophthalmologist to examine your eyes.
After completing all the tests, your ophthalmologist will discuss the results, give advice, and list down treatment options.

What are the different types of eye exams?

Eye muscle test – The muscles that attach to your eyeballs are tested for poor coordination and muscle weakness. Use your eyes to follow the moving object (ophthalmologist’s index finger or pen) and not your head and neck.
Visual acuity test – the most well-known eyes test. Yes, the one with the letters.
Assessment of refraction – A device that looks like a mask is placed on the front of your face. It contains wheels of various lenses. Your ophthalmologist will ask you to identify which combination of lenses show you the sharpest vision.
Perimetry (visual field test) – is used to demonstrate if you have tunnel vision.
Colour vision testing – This test determines if your eyes have a colour deficiency. Patterns within multicoloured dots are used in this test.
Slit-lamp examination – includes inspecting your eyelashes, eyelids, iris, cornea, lens, and space (chamber) between your cornea and iris. It’s a big microscope that shines a line of light on your eyes.
Retinal examination – also called funduscopy. Dilating eye drops are used to widen the pupils of your eyes. An instrument called an ophthalmoscope checks the retina, blood vessels, and the optic disk.
Tonometry – is used in glaucoma screening. It measures the pressure of fluid inside your eye.

Other specialised tests may be ordered by your ophthalmologist depending on the results of these tests.

And the results?

A normal set of results from an eye exam consists of the following:

You have 6/6 or 20/20 vision in both eyes.
Good peripheral vision (meaning no tunnel vision)
Able to differentiate various colours
Structures of the external eye are unremarkable
No cataracts, retinal disorders, or glaucoma seen.

Eye Tests for Children

Red reflex test, pupil reflex test, and attention to visual objects test are all done during the newborn period (while at the hospital after being born).
Snellen charts for visual acuity test – tested on your children when they can recognise letters.
Range of movement test or eye muscle test
Refraction and colour blindness tests are also carried out on children.

Examples of Modern Treatments for Vision Problems

Most people with errors of refraction (astigmatism, farsightedness) are alternatively treated with modern surgical techniques like LASIK eye surgery. LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis.
Phacoemulsification uses ultrasound to fragment cataracts and can be done on an out-patient basis.
BEOVU® (brolucizumab-dbll) injection is a newly approved treatment by the US FDA for wet age-related macular degeneration.
New treatments for glaucoma include selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) and the topical medications VYZULTA™ and Rhopressa®.

Eye exams keep you and your ophthalmologist/general practitioner updated with changes in your vision and overall health as you age. The results of your eye exams can identify problems and provide solutions that will treat eye diseases and keep your vision clear.