Here’s What Your Ophthalmologist Is Looking for During Your Eye Exam

If your vision is clear, seeing is like breathing: You don’t notice your ability when everything is going great. However, it’s easy to take good vision for granted. In fact, your vision is every bit as significant a part of your overall health and well-being as your heart health, blood pressure, and weight.

All adults should get their total eye health checked routinely — not just their vision. And all eye doctors are not created equal. While an optometrist can test your vision and prescribe corrective lenses, among other services, ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye care.

The ophthalmological team of Dr. Grace Wu and Dr. Meei-Ling Wu have years of experience between them when it comes to providing expert diagnostic eye care and chronic eye disease management. Read on to find out what they will look for during your eye exam.

What information is my ophthalmologist seeking when she examines my eyes?

Dr. Grace and Dr. Meei-Ling have the same goals: to listen to your concerns and history, test and determine your eye health, diagnose any issues, and plan surgery if needed. All of this information contributes to their ability to prepare a customized treatment meant solely for you.

When you come to Ethos Medical Group, we test your visual acuity — using that familiar wall chart with numbers and letters on it — as well as look for any signs of serious, often imperceptible issues, such as:

  • Age-related macular degeneration (wet and dry)
  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts

These diseases of the eye require frequent monitoring, and sometimes — particularly with the two types of macular degeneration — immediate intervention. Since glaucoma damage is irreversible, it’s also critical to have your eye pressure tested regularly to ensure it stays at a normal level. If you’re “in the clear,” we want to know that, and if you’re diagnosed with a condition, we’ll know how to proceed.

Also during your eye exam, we note whether there are any corrective lens or contact lens prescription changes. A thorough vision exam not only determines the clarity of your vision but also assesses:

  • The general health of your retina and optic nerve
  • The condition of your cornea and irises
  • Your ability to track a moving object
  • Your ability to see and distinguish colors
  • How your eyes and pupils in particular, respond to light
  • Your peripheral (side) vision

We look for any abnormalities or warning signs of problems because we take a proactive approach to your eye health.

Eye changes are often subtle, so you’re advised to get your eyes examined every one to two years. However, if you have any concerns or a diagnosed condition, you may need to visit us more frequently.

How do ophthalmologists see what they need to during my eye exam?

We administer eye drops that dilate your pupils as we check your eye health. It takes a while for your pupils to return to normal, which means you’ll be sensitive to sunlight, so bring your sunglasses for your ride home. Otherwise, we can provide disposable ones.

Dr. Grace and Dr. Meei-Ling use an array of screening tools to examine your eyes. These devices offer the latest technology to form as complete a picture of your eye health as possible.

Now you know what we’re looking for, here’s what you should look for

The Ethos team wants you to be a partner in caring for your eyes, too, so we’ll talk to you about how certain diseases, medications, and genetic factors can affect your eye health.

We’ll also educate you on lifestyle practices that support eye health, like:

  • Maintaining a proper diet
  • Refraining from smoking
  • Protecting your eyes from workplace hazards
  • Wearing sunglasses while outside
  • Getting lenses that protect against the blue light emitted from electronic devices

To sum it up, we search for the seen and yet-to-be-seen issues that are unique to your eyes. We also work with you to make you “eye health-aware.”

Better vision starts with an exam

We want nothing more than for you to have the healthiest eyes and clearest vision possible. That starts with your eye exam.

Prioritize your sight by calling our office to make an appointment, or schedule one using our online booking tool. See you soon!

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