What Do You Need To Do During An Eye Exam?
Eye exams can benefit children, adults, and senior citizens alike. Taking full advantage of each eye exam will help you to enjoy healthy eyes and clear vision for years to come. These are four things you should do during your upcoming eye exam.
1. Update your vision prescription.
Your annual eye doctor appointment is the perfect opportunity to update your vision prescription. Old prescriptions can cause blurry vision, which can lead to headaches. Wearing the right prescription will allow you to avoid eye strain. It's especially important to have an up-to-date prescription for contact lenses or glasses if you drive or operate heavy machinery.
2. Have your eyes tested for chronic dryness.
Eye dryness can cause discomfort, itchiness, and pain. It can also cause blurry vision and make it hard to wear contact lenses. If you find yourself reaching for your eyedrops constantly, you may want to talk to your eye doctor about chronic dry eye. Eye doctors can test for chronic eye dryness using a special machine that tests how long it takes your tears to evaporate. This information can help your doctor figure out the source of your eye dryness. Your eyes may be producing insufficient tears or tears that evaporate too quickly, two conditions that are treatable through different methods.
3. Talk to your doctor about protective eyewear.
It's important to protect your eyes when going about your daily activities. Wearing goggles in the pool can protect your eyes from the drying effects of chlorine, and sunglasses can keep your eyes safe from ultraviolet rays. Your eye doctor can help you find the best protective eyewear for your situation. If you wear glasses or contacts, your eye doctor can help you find prescription versions of goggles, sunglasses, and other protective eyewear.
4. Don't skip your pupil dilation test.
Eye doctors perform many tests during an eye exam. One such test, which usually occurs at the end of your exam, is a pupil dilation test. Your eye doctor uses medication to force your pupil to dilate. This may be mildly uncomfortable, but it's an important part of your eye exam, which allows your doctor to examine the health of your optic nerve. Pupil dilation tests are especially important for people who are at risk of glaucoma. You won't be able to drive yourself home after having your pupils dilated, so you'll need to schedule a ride home from the eye doctor's office on the day of your exam.
Reach out to a clinic like Northwest Ophthalmology to learn more.
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