At Seeta Eye Centers, our Board Certified Ophthalmologists perform comprehensive eye examinations for all types of eye problems, conditions and diseases including routine eye care exams. Drs. Alterman, Modi and Wolter believe that it is necessary for all patients to have routine eye examinations on a regular basis. They will make specific recommendations regarding how often you should have your eyes examined based on your age, your health, whether you have any family history of eye problems or eye diseases and whether you have previously been diagnosed or treated for any eye conditions.
During your routine eye examination you will be examined to be sure that you are seeing as clearly as you should and will have a complete medical evaluation of the health of your eyes.
When you attend your eye examination, it is important to accurately provide the technicians and physicians with detailed information regarding your overall health, your eye health and your vision. Even if you have general health problems that are stable, you need to disclose them to the staff during your visit. It is also critical that you tell the eye doctors about any and all medications and eye drops that you are taking, even if you purchased them over the counter without a prescription.
Please tell the technicians about any eye problems that family members or blood relatives have as some eye problems tend to run in families.
Providing a thorough vision, medical and family history is an important step in helping the physicians perform the most careful eye examination.
Your eye exam will begin with a technician measuring your vision using the Snellin Chart, more commonly known as the “Big E”. This test of your visual acuity will be performed both with your current eyeglasses or contacts as well as without any form of vision correction. It will also be performed both at far and at near in order to really understand how well you see.
Next an evaluation of how well your eyes move will be made to help understand how well your eye muscles function and how well they work together.
This will be followed by an evaluation of your pupils, which is done by shinning a bright light in your eyes from several directions. Studying how your pupils react to light is a way the doctors can assess the functioning or your Optic Nerve and certain neurological functions.
Next, the eye doctor will direct you to position yourself behind an examination instrument called a slit lamp microscope which allows the doctor to use both high magnification and special illumination to examine the details of your cornea, eyelids and lashes, tear film and crystalline lens-which is where cataracts form.
During the slit lamp examination it is possible to measure the pressure within your eye-called the Intraocular Pressure or IOP by placing 1-2 drops in your eye and using an instrument called a tonometer. This is an important diagnostic test for Glaucoma and will be performed as part of your general eye examination.
Next, by using an instrument called a Phoroptor, it will be possible to check your refraction. Your refraction helps the doctor determine the appropriate eyeglass or contact lens prescription. To check your refraction with the photoptor, you will be presented with a series of lenses and asked to select the lens or combination of lenses that seems to provide the clearest vision. If you need an optical correction it will then be possible for the doctor to write you a prescription so that you can select eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Upon completion of the health examination of the front of the eye and the refraction, it is now possible to begin the examination of the health of the structures in the back of the eye including the retina and its blood vessels and the optic nerve. To allow the doctor a complete view of the back of your eye it will be necessary to place some eye drops in your eyes that will act to widen or “dilate” your pupils. Dilating drops take some time to work-usually about 20-30 minutes-so please be patient.
While you are waiting for the dilating drops to work you will be asked to sit in one of our comfortable sitting areas and relax. The examination of the retina and optic nerve through a dilated pupil is not really uncomfortable, however you will be somewhat light sensitive and may experience temporary blurring of your vision, especially for close vision. If you have never had a dilated eye exam before you will want to bring a pair of sunglasses to make you more comfortable, and you may even wish to consider having someone present to drive you home if you are concerned about driving after your eye exam, although this is a personal decision.
We welcome all patients for eye exams at Seeta Eye Centers. You can be assured that you will receive a thorough eye examination from our Board Certified Ophthalmologists including examination for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration as well as a refraction for prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses.
