General Information on Eye Exams

Eye Examination

At Phoenixville Eye Care Specialists, the comprehensive eye examination is a thorough evaluation of the eye and visual system. The patient’s need for optical correction will be determined and the ocular health will be evaluated for conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. The exam may also reveal findings of systemic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.

What to Expect at the Examination:

• Review of your personal and family health histories so that specific issues may be addressed
• Visual acuity measurement that determines how well you are seeing
• Refraction, which is the procedure that determines your optical prescription for glasses, contact lenses
• Assessment of eye muscle movement
• Assessment of your peripheral vision
• Assessment of pupil response to light
• Slit lamp exam, which is a magnified evaluation of the lids, conjunctiva, cornea, iris, and crystalline lens
• Eye pressure measurement for glaucoma
• Dilated exam to evaluate the retina and optic nerve
• Discussion of the examination results and treatment options

Frequency of Examination:

Children – Children can have a serious vision problem without being aware of it. Therefore, children should have their eyes screened at ages 3 and 5 by an eye care professional for conditions such as:

• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Ptosis (dropping of the upper eyelid)
• Refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism)

Young Adults – should be seen every two years
Adults over 65, diabetics and contact lens wearers – should be seen yearly