Eye Exam Guide: Answering the Most Frequently Asked Questions

I remember talking about contact lenses with my friends. They were all, “How can you stand to touch your eyeball like that”?

For those who are squeamish, the thought of having their eyes touched or examined could bring some medical anxiety.

You might want to know, however, what exactly an eye exam entails.

Read on to find out about various aspects of this relatively painless proceeding.
 

Eye Exam Cost

The upfront cost for an eye exam could be from $70-200 dollars without insurance.

However, most eye doctors accept insurance which can offset the costs.
 

How Long Does an Eye Exam Take

Eye exams last for varying amounts of time, depending on the condition of your eyes.

If your eyes are healthy, and only need require a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, the examination may be quick.

If you have several eye complications like dry eyes, and severe myopia, glaucoma, cataracts, or diabetes, the test could take longer.

Expect to have an eye exam between 15 minutes to an hour, depending on your eye health.
 

Common Tests

Aspects of the eye exam are typically painless and provide the eye doctor with information on the health of your eyes.

Your eye doctor will use a variety of techniques and instruments to check the health of your eyes.

They will check:

  • Eye muscle strength and eye-teaming skills (how your two eyes work together)

  • Visual acuity

  • Refractive error

  • Physical health of surrounding structures (like eyelashes)

  • Retinal health

  • Risk of glaucoma
     

You should be scheduling eye exams at least once a year, or sooner for certain eye conditions.
 

Eye Exam Results

Your doctor will share the results with you after your exam, and you may go over the results together.

They will report to you about your visual acuity, your overall eye health, and if there is any need for glasses or contact lenses.

If you require eyeglasses and there has been a change in your prescription, your doctor will write that out for you. Children need to receive eye exams more often because of how rapidly their eyes are changing and developing.
 

Take Care of Your Eyes

Take care of your eyes! Do not hesitate to schedule an eye exam if you are worried.

The health of your eyes can speak a lot about your overall general health. Some medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure can be detected during an eye exam.

Contact us to learn more about your eye health and the services we provide today.

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