Routine comprehensive eye exams are important for maintaining not only your excellent vision, but your overall eye health. The goal of your trusted eye doctor is to ensure you leave at the end of the exam seeing as clearly as your eyes possibly can. Adults, seniors, and children should have eye exams performed routinely every 1 to 2 years.
Throughout the eye examination, the doctor very carefully screens and checks your eye function. This includes vision/sight testing, eye muscle function, peripheral vision, and ultimately the health of your eyes. What many people often overlook is the fact that examining the health of the eyes can tell a lot about a person’s overall health. Many systemic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol can manifest first in the eye before physical signs and symptoms are even felt.
It starts and finishes with more than just a prescription for glasses.
Beginning with your visual acuity to measure how well you are currently seeing, the doctor then runs you through a series of tests to ensure your eye muscles are working well together, check your visual field of views, and then moves onto the refraction- checking for any changes in your eyeglass prescription (“Better 1 or 2?”).
From there, the doctor will perform several more tests which may just seem like light is being shone into your eyes, but reveal the status of your eye health, checking for diseases such as glaucoma, retinopathy, corneal ulcers and much more. This is all done with a high magnification microscope called the slit lamp. The doctor will then spend time going over the examination findings with you in depth. Understanding your overall eye health plays an integral role in both the eyeglass prescription that you receive at the end of your visit, but also the necessity for any further testing, medication or recommendations that the doctor may have. Of course, it’s difficult to explain in great detail every step of the eye exam, but for further questions feel free to Click Here to contact our office for more information or to schedule an appointment – our qualified Optometrists and Opticians will be here every step of the way to assist you!
- Eyeglass Prescription
- Treatment and management of eye diseases such as: glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, dry eyes, blurry vision, floaters/flashes
- Eye Pressure Measurement
- Laser Vision Correction consultation and post-operative management
- Contact Lenses: Soft everyday lenses, Specialty hard lenses
OHIP covers a full comprehensive eye exam once a year for patients under the age of 20, or 65 and older.
Certain systemic and ocular diseases will also deem a patient covered by OHIP:
- Diabetes
- Glaucoma
- Cataract
- Retinal Disease
- Amblyopia/Lazy Eye
- Strabismus/ Eye Turns
- Visual Field Defects
- Corneal Disease
- Recurrent Uveitis
- Optic Pathway Disease
If you don’t meet any of the above criteria, you should discuss with your family doctor or general practitioner who can determine if you have any health concerns that require monitoring of your eyes. A requisition or referral can be made by he/she for an OHIP covered eye exam.
As well, most insurance companies have a vision plan included as a form of coverage for eyecare services such as eye exams and prescription eyewear. Click Here to read more about insurance coverage and our Direct Billing Services.