Your History
During the initial component of your eye examination, one of our optometric techs, probably Danielle or Jena, will discuss your general health, including:

• Your general health history;
• Any medication usage and allergies;
• Your family's eye and medical histories;
• Specific vision requirements for your work or hobbies;
• The nature of any specific problem(s); and
• Your visual and ocular history

Preliminary Testing
During the preliminary testing, one of our optometric techs, probably Danielle or Jena, will check your visual function and ocular health by checking a variety of factors, including your pupil size and pupillary responses, your near point of convergence (the closest point of fixation just before the image becomes double); your stereo vision; and your color vision.  We'll also test you using a computerized auto refractor, which gives us your corneal measurements, used in contact lens fittings. It also gives us an estimate of your distance vision.  We also might test your spectacles using our computerized lensometer, which lets us read the prescription in an existing pair of glasses.

Your Visual Acuity and Refraction
We measure your visual acuity both with and without your  most recent spectacle or contact lens correction to establish your vision baseline. Our visual acuity test includes: distance visual acuity;  near visual acuity; acuity at distances specific for your job or hobbies. 

We'll then work with you to determine the lens correction needed to provide optimal visual acuity for all viewing distances.  This is when we ask you the famous question, "Which is better, one or two!" 

 

Slit Lamp Testing

You'll work with Drs. Williams or Bloom during the next portion of the examination, who will examine your eyes using the slit lamp, a binocular microscope that permits the doctor to examine your eyes under high magnification and allows her to perform a detailed examination of your eyes.

Glaucoma Testing
The measurement of eye pressure involves touching each eye with a probe, called an applanation tonometer, for just a few seconds.

Fundoscopy:  About Dilated Eye Exams
Many eye diseases and disorders have no symptoms or early warning signs. Drs. Williams and Bloom recommend dilated eye exams at appropriate intervals to detect changes in the retina, the optic nerve, or both.  That way, the doctors can examine the back of your eyes for subtle changes and, if necessary, initiate treatment at the right time. 

Why do we administer eye drops?  As you know, your pupils dilate when it's dark and they contract when it's bright.  The eye drops dilate your pupils so when the doctors shine a light into the back of your eye (to see what's going on), the pupil won't contract.  Some of our patients experience the side effect of an inability to focus -- especially up close -- for up to six hours (depending on the type of drop and the patient's sensitivity).  Students can return to school after a dilation; however, they may have trouble reading or doing homework for several hours.  Adult patients may or may not be able to drive home, depending on their sensitivity to the drops.  If you are not sure how you'll react, you should plan to have someone pick you up from our office.

After we administer the drops, your eyes eventually become fully dilated.  At that point, the doctor can now examine the very back of your eyes with a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope. This instrument provides a high magnification view of the very back of your eye, allowing the doctor to evaluate your retina (the nerve layer in the back of the eye that contains the sensory cells, or photoreceptors), blood vessels, and optic nerve. This examination is crucial to help identify age-related macular degeneration, abnormalities of the optic nerve (like damage from glaucoma), and other problems.
  
Recommendations
After evaluating your ocular health, Drs. Bloom and Williams will review your status, discuss it with you, and recommend the best way to proceed.  The doctor will answer any questions you may have and, if necessary, escort you to the optical dispensary to work with our friendly, knowledgeable opticians, or to the contact lens room to work with our equally friendly and knowledgeable contact lens technicians.