What are normal results from an eye exam?
Getting a yearly eye exam is more important than you may realize. Although your results may not change for years, early detection is the most important factor in many eye conditions to be able to have the most optimal results from treatment. You may be wondering- what are normal results from an eye exam?
Normal Results from an Eye Exam
Normal results from an eye exam generally is having your eye health and vision maintain itself from year to year. People who continue to have 20/20 vision year after year and show no signs of disease or issues would be considered normal. On the other hand, those of us who do not have 20/20 vision but need glasses or contacts, will still be considered normal results with minor fluctuation in their prescription and still no signs of disease or issue.
Prescriptions can change with time and for some can even improve year over year. At Perich Eye, we think of this as ‘normal’. Sometimes people think that any change in prescription is immediate cause for concern, when that is not necessarily true. Yes, any change in vision should alert you to have a check up to be sure that something more serious isn’t happening but that is not an automatic trigger for something other than your vision changing.
As we age our vision can weaken, just like everything else in our bodies! Yearly eye check up make sure we can monitor your eyes to keep the healthy. To protect your vision, we recommend that you have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Lifestyle changes can help make a difference in not just your overall health but in protecting your vision as well.
Here are some tips we recommend to help maintain healthy vision, brain, and life:
Refrain from smoking. If you are a current smoker, we recommend that you get the support you need to help you quit,
Eat a healthy diet full of greens, vegetables, fruits and fresh fish,
Avoid red meat and pork,
Exercise, do yoga, and meditate,
Maintain a healthy weight,
Develop good strategies to reduce and deal with stress,
Monitor your blood pressure.
Using your body and brain while keeping it nourished is the ideal way to live for longevity. Prevention is always the best although it may feel like you don’t need to at times. That healthy happy state should be motivation to keep going rather than get lax.
What Happens at an Eye Exam?
An eye exam involves a series of tests to evaluate your vision and check for eye diseases. Our optometrists use the latest technologies to measure the health of your vision. Each test during an eye exam evaluates a different aspect of your vision or eye health. If additional procedures are required, our in-house ophthalmologists will save you additional trips to other clinics.
A routine eye exam is general done to see how your vision is doing and if you need an adjustment to your prescription, or potentially need a prescription if you are one of the fortunate people who have had great 20/20 vision most of your life. These exams take less time as we look to see how clear your natural vision is. Most of the time, a routine eye exam will take only 30 minutes or less. You will be able to see as normal after and can drive yourself home or back to work.
During a comprehensive eye check up, we will not only do the normal routine eye exam, but will also do more testing to see about potential diseases or issues. We will assess the overall health of your eyes and not just your natural ability to see things clearly. There can be variations to what is done in a comprehensive eye check up for different age groups, genders, and of course any concerns you may be having that you bring to your doctors attention.
Each test during an eye exam evaluates a different aspect of your vision or eye health. The comprehensive eye check up can take up to an hour and potentially longer depending on what is found during the testing. Commonly, the tests that occur in a comprehensive eye check up include dilating the pupils, depth perception test, pressure test, color blindness test, covering one eye at a time, and further glaucoma testing.
Should I Bring My Glasses or Contact to My Eye Exam?
Absolutely! Bringing your current glasses and/or contacts to your eye exam is always a good idea. Of course if you wear glasses daily, there’s a good chance you need them to see anyways! If you only wear them at times, you should still bring them with you so that we can make sure the prescription is correct and the glasses fit you well.
If you wear contacts, it’s a good idea to wear them to the exam so we can see how those are fitting on your actually eye. Not all contacts are shaped the same or made from the same material, so getting a good fit ensures you can maintain the health of your eyes as well. We may need to do tests that your glasses would be more comfortable to leave wearing. You will likely need to take your contacts out for part of the exam, and as you know, sometimes those little buggers just don’t want to go in.
If you are ready to have your annual eye exam, feel free to contact us here, or see below for a list of our locations to find the most convenient to you. At Perich Eye Centers, we can give you a comfortable, confident experience to know that your eye sight is the best and healthiest it can be.
