What to Expect at Your Next Eye Exam
April 8th, 2025
Eye exams with an experienced eye doctor are essential to maintaining the health of your eyes and the clarity of your vision. These exams ensure you are seeing your best and help identify any developing eye conditions, many of which can develop without noticeable symptoms in their early stages.
But what happens during an eye exam, and how can you prepare beforehand to make the most of your appointment? Keep reading to learn more about what to expect at your next eye exam.
What Happens During an Eye Exam?
Often, an eye exam begins with a review of your health history. You may be asked about your overall health, whether you have any chronic health conditions, and whether you have a family history of hereditary eye conditions.
Your provider will also ask you about any changes to your vision or any issues you may be having with your eyes, like excessive dryness or watering. If you already wear glasses or contacts, they will want to know whether you’re still seeing clearly and comfortably with them.
After reviewing your health history, your provider will perform a series of tests that measure the quality of your vision and the health and function of your eyes. These tests may include:
Visual Acuity
A visual acuity test determines how well you can see with and without glasses. You will be asked to read lines of letters or numbers on an eye chart across the room while covering one eye at a time.
You may also be asked to do the same with a chart that you hold in front of you.
Refraction
Your provider uses a device called a phoropter, which contains lenses of different strengths, to give you an accurate prescription. While the lenses are adjusted, you will be asked which lens option gives you the clearest vision.
Based on your answers, your provider can determine the right prescription to correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Pupil Response
In this simple test, your provider shines a bright light on your pupils to check how they respond. This test measures how well your pupils expand and retract with changes in light conditions.
Peripheral Vision
Your provider tests your peripheral vision by having you follow a light or small object as it moves through your entire range of vision. This test can check for glaucoma, a common eye condition that often impairs side vision.
Eye Movement
Eye movement is assessed with a test called ocular motility. Your provider uses this test to ensure your eyes are aligned and your eye muscles are working properly.
Tonometry
Tonometry measures eye pressure, which is another critical test for glaucoma. Elevated intraocular pressure can be a symptom of glaucoma and other eye conditions.
Slit Lamp Exam
A slit lamp exam allows your eye doctor to closely examine the structures within your eyes. They are often performed after your provider has dilated your eyes with special drops.
Specialized Ocular Imaging
If the standard tests performed at an eye exam raise any concerns, your provider may recommend further tests, including specialized ocular imaging, to create detailed images of the structures within your eyes. Ocular imaging can help diagnose eye conditions or establish a baseline for developing conditions.
Scheduling regular comprehensive eye exams is essential for protecting the long-term health of your eyes and maintaining the quality of your vision. They help ensure your prescription is current and that vision-threatening eye conditions are identified early.
If you’ve been considering vision correction, these exams are also an excellent opportunity to ask your eye doctor about procedures like LASIK, which can correct common refractive errors and reduce your reliance on visual aids.
Is it time for your next eye exam? Schedule an appointment at Laser Eye Center in Huntsville, AL, today!
