What Do Eye Doctors Do During an Eye Exam?

An eye exam is a series of tests to evaluate vision and detect eye diseases. Your eye doctor will use several instruments, illuminate your eyes with bright lights, and ask you to look through a variety of lenses. Each test done during an eye exam evaluates a different aspect of vision or eye health. The best-known part of the eye exam is the visual acuity test.

Your doctor will ask you to read an optometric chart full of numbers and letters with one or both eyes. Your ability to clearly read and identify numbers and letters helps your doctor better determine your eye prescription needs. To specify your exact prescription, your doctor will place a large lens refractor in front of you and ask you a series of questions about which lenses improve or worsen your vision. The doctor will then examine the structures in the front of the eye, such as the eyelids, cornea, and iris, and then the inside of the eye (macula, retina, iris, etc.).

This test allows the doctor to identify a wide range of possible eye diseases and conditions. If you currently have eyeglasses or contact lenses, be sure to bring them to the exam so that your eye doctor can see if you need changes to the prescription. The coverage test is the easiest and most common way for eye doctors to check how the eyes work together. The doctor will ask you to look intently at part of the eye chart and, alternatively, cover each of your eyes with a small palette.

At the beginning of an eye exam, the doctor will ask about your medical history and if you've had any vision problems. In addition to helping you maintain clear vision, comprehensive eye exams are essential for maintaining optimal eye and body health. Factors such as age, health status, and family history of vision problems can determine how often an eye exam is needed. Having an eye exam once every one to two years can help identify vision problems early on and improve the quality of your vision if the prescription needs to be changed. OCLI Vision offices offer eye care services in centers in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and specialize in primary eye care, LASIK, cataract surgery, glaucoma, eye care for diabetics and other services for patients in the Northeast.