Routine eye exams are about much more than simply checking to see if you need glasses. During the eye exam, the doctor is looking for potential signs of eye diseases or other health problems. In many situations, these health problems can be detected through the eyes, even before the noticeable symptoms are present. Early detection is important for many eye diseases, because early detection allows the patient to receive timely treatments which could potentially slow down the progression of the disease.

There are exercises that claim to strengthen your eyes, but these programs are quite controversial among optometrists. There is actually no scientific evidence that shows that these exercises work, and sometimes people spend quite a bit of money for programs that claim to help you “throw away your glasses.” If you want to improve your eyesight, the best thing that you can do is talk with a board certified optometrist.

Some people mistakenly believe that corrective lenses are bad for their eyes, because it is believed that the lenses will cause the eyes to get weaker. The truth is that your eyes do no grow weaker because of the corrective lenses, such as contacts or glasses. Over time your prescription might change, but those changes are unrelated to the use of contacts or glasses.

When choosing your glasses, it is important that you are selective about both the frames and the lens material that is used. The lenses that you select can impact your satisfaction with the eyewear, and you need to be sure that you are happy with the glasses since you will be using them every day. Lenses impact four factors: safety, vision, comfort, and appearance. Glass lenses are heavier than plastic lenses, and they could potentially cause serious damage to the eye if they are broken. Many of our customers choose plastic lenses because they are thinner, lightweight, and safer to use.

The best way to get an appointment at a time that works for your schedule is to call in advance and booka time that is convenient for you. But, even if you didn’t have time to book an appointment, feel free to stop by our office for a walk-in appointment. When we have space available, then we will do our best to accommodate you and quickly fit you into the schedule.

All of our eye doctors are board certified and highly experienced in the field of optometry. If you are looking for the best optometrists in Chicago, then you have come to the right place! Read more on the “Our Doctors” page to see the education and certifications that have been earned by each of the doctorsin our office.

It is important to understand that there is a difference between an eyeglass prescription and a contact lens prescription. Even if you have information about your prescription for your glasses, that prescriptiondoesn’t provide all of the parameters that are needed for contact lenses. The eye doctor will still need to do additional tests to determine the right types of contact lenses for your individual situation.

If you wear contact lenses, then additional tests and measurements need to be done during the appointment. The necessary information to perform a contact lens evaluation and fitting include prescription information, measuring the shape of the front of your eye, and evaluating the fit of contact lenses on your eye. It also includes monitoring the health of the cornea to ensure you enjoy healthy contact lens wear. Additionally, the eye doctor will talk with you about the brands and styles of contact lenses that are available, to be sure you are getting lenses that work best for your individual situation.

There is a wide range of tests that are done during an eye exam to determine the overall health of your eyes. These tests are designed to measure your vision, as well as to detect potential health problems that might be present. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to talk with the eye doctor about any potential problems or concerns that you might have relating to your eye health. The goal of each eye exam is to provide you with the tools and information needed to help you achieve optimal vision and eyehealth. Keep reading in the next section to learn more about the types of tests that might be done during the examination.

Each eye exam can be catered to the individual needs of each patient, but there are a few standard tests that are used during every appointment. A comprehensive eye example often includes:

  • Visual acuity tests to measure the sharpness of your vision
  • A test for color blindness
  • Visual field test to test for the possibility of blind spots in your peripheral vision
  • A cover test to measure the strength of each eye individually
  • Contact lens fitting tests
  • Retinoscopy and/or refraction to measure your prescription
  • Slit-lamp examination to get a highly magnified view of the inner structure of your eye
  • No puff” eye pressure test, which is part of testing for glaucoma
  • Pupil dilation to get a better view of the internal structure of the eye

Yes, our experienced doctors are trained to look for potential signs of many eye diseases, including both cataracts and glaucoma. Our goal is to identify potential problems before they get worse, in order to offer each patient the highest quality vision care to match their individual needs. We know how important it is to diagnose eye problems in the early stages, which is why we encourage our patients to maintain a schedule of regular eye exams.
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