History and Symptoms

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• If you are experiencing problems with your eyes or vision, your doctor will need to know what concerns you have. Your doctor will also need to know about your general health, including any medications you are taking, and your family’s eye/medical history.

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• You will be asked about your previous glasses or contact lenses. It is for this reason that we highly encourage all patients to bring the glasses that they typically wear, a prescription for glasses and/or contacts, and all care products for contact lenses to the exam. In addition, your doctor may ask about the kind of work you do and whether you play sports or have any hobbies. This helps us better educate you on options to correct your vision.

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• We encourage patients to communicate with our doctors any concerns they may have, or ask questions throughout the examination if needed. 

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Examining your eyes

There are two parts to our eye exam: the vision assessment and the health assessment.

 

Vision Assessment

Your vision will be assessed with or without glasses or contact lenses to check for any problems with your eyesight. Your doctor will then carry out a series of tests to measure your prescription for glasses. You will be asked to choose between different lenses to see which ones help the quality and clarity of your sight and help your focusing system relax so that your eyes are not straining. This process is called ‘refraction’. If you are getting contact lenses, you will also be fit for contact lenses picked specifically for your eye curvature, after your refraction is complete. 

 

Health Assessment

Your eyes will be examined both inside and out. This will allow your doctor to assess the overall health of your eyes and identify any medical problems. Your eyes will be examined using special lights and a microscope called a slit lamp that shines light through the pupil allowing for a detailed study of the internal structures of the eye. We encourage annual eye dilation as it provides a better view, and this is especially true and important for anyone with existing eye disease or patients with diabetes or other high risk diseases. 

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Our clinic is equipped with high tech equipment, such as internal photography of the eye (Retinal photography), scanners that have the ability to measure structural damage, which allow us to interpret how a condition may be affecting your vision. Fundus photography is the best way for us to monitor for change in your eyes over time and therefore highly recommended. We do offer Fundus photography to patients who would like to have a digital scan of their eyes and cannot be dilated due to its side effects of blurry vision after the exam. 

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After the eye examination

Your doctor will discuss and educate you on all exam findings. You will also be educated on the best form of vision correction to suit your individual lifestyle and visual needs. Your doctor will give you a prescription for glasses and/or contact lenses, and you’ll be advised of when you should return to the clinic. An annual comprehensive exam is a good rule of thumb. 

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Choosing glasses or contact lenses

Our office has an in house optical where our trained opticians can help you with all of your glasses questions and find you the perfect pair of glasses which are not only stylist but also functional. 

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