WHAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE DILATED EYE EXAM?
You can’t be so sure if you have healthy eyes until you meet with a professional optometrist, to perform a dilated eye exam on them. Your eyes will be checked for symptoms of vision problems and eye diseases. And most times, these ailments have no early signs. A dilated eye exam is recommended to commence at the age 40. Individuals who have diabetes are advised to go a comprehensive dilated eye exam annually.
A thorough eye exam involves tonometry, dilation, visual acuity test and visual field test. Dilation is significant because it enables an eye professional to examine your eye thoroughly. When drops are placed on each eye, it widens the pupil that serves as the opening of the center of the iris (the colored part of the eye). By dilating the pupil, more light can enter the eye just the way; light comes to a room when you open the door. After dilation, the professional examines each eye with the aid of a magnifying lens that enables him to view the tissues of the back of the eye properly, and this includes the retina, the optic nerve, and macula.
A person was suffering from diabetic retinopathy, which is the most common diabetic eye disease and the number one cause of blindness in the US. In such cases, the result of the exam may show signs of leaking or swelling of blood vessels in the retina as well as the tissues of the back of the eye that have light-sensitive layers. Diabetic retinopathy also causes abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina.
In age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes vision loss and blindness in people over age 50. Upon the thorough examination by a professional, the retina may show some yellow pigments known as clumps or drusen beneath it. As a result, it tends to lead to the deterioration of a small portion of the retina known as the macula which enhances vision.
To be able to diagnose glaucoma, which causes damage to the optic nerves that transport information from the eyes to the brain, you will need to undergo a comprehensive eye exam as well. If a person has glaucoma, the optic nerves will show some changes in the color and the shape of the optic nerves. It can also reveal excessive cupping of the optical disc. The point where the optic nerves fibers leave the eye and enter the brain.
Glaucoma can be diagnosed with the aid of a procedure known as tonometry. It directs a quick puff of air into the eyes or by just applying a sensitive pressure tip against the eye. The eye professional can sense a case of elevated eye pressure, a condition that leads to glaucoma. To perform this test, the expert may apply some numbing drops to your eyes.
A loss of peripheral vision can be a symptom of glaucoma which is measured using a visual eye test. To perform a visual acuity, you may be required to read an eye chart to enable your eye care professional gauge how well you can see at distances.
Would you like more information on a Dilated Eye Exam? Consult with one of our qualified optometrists, book your consultation today at one of our 360 Eyecare locations in Toronto.
