Your eye health is also important to your overall physical health, so booking a regular eye exam is also recommended. A basic eye exam can determine the specific prescription required to optimize your vision, both up close and at a distance. In addition to evaluating your vision, eye exams can detect potential illnesses and other conditions that may affect your eyes over time.
Children with uncorrected vision conditions or eye health problems face many barriers in life, academically, socially, and athletically. High-quality eye care can break down these barriers and help enable your children to reach their highest potential. As a parent, make sure you are giving your children the eye care they need.
When your baby is about six months, you should take him to your doctor of optometry for his first thorough eye examination. Things that the optometrist will test for include excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, lack of eye movement ability, as well as other eye health problems. These problems are not common, but it is important to identify children who have them at this stage. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.
Unless you notice a need, or your doctor of optometry advises you otherwise, your child’s next eye exam should be around age three, and then again before he or she enters school.
What to Expect During Your Basic Eye Exam
Getting an eye exam is a relatively simple procedure, taking approximately half an hour to complete. If your eyes require dilation, your appointment could take about an hour. Here's an overview of a typical eye examination test at Optical London Drugs:
Medical History & Contact Information
The doctor will begin with a review of your medical history and current health. At this time, the doctor will also verify your vision benefits.
Prescreening
The prescreening process includes an estimate of your current prescription level, establishing a baseline. The doctor will measure the shape of your cornea as well as the overall shape of your eye.
Finally, they take images of your retinas. Our West Broadway and Valley Fair Mall clinics offer Optos retinal imaging, which doesn't require eye drop dilation. If you choose to visit one of our other locations, you may need to arrange a ride home because dilation can temporarily interfere with your vision.
Eye Exam
A routine eye exam consists of the following tests:
- Eye Muscle Test - measures muscle control
- Visual Acuity Test - measures your distances vision
- Refraction Assessment - checks bending of light waves as they pass through your eye
- Manual Visual Field Test - measures your sides vision
- Colour Vision Test - checks for colour-blindness and other colour deficiencies
- Slit-Lamp Examination - uses a microscope to examine your eyes closely
- Retinal Examination - checks the structure of your retina
- Glaucoma Screening - checks for excessive pressure within your eye
Payment & Future Planning
At Optical London Drugs, we offer MSP options and direct billing to most Canadian insurance providers. We also accept cash, debit, and credit cards as payment. We recommend that you come in once a year to stay on top of any changes in your vision. Our staff will be happy to schedule your next eye examination appointment.
An Important Note for Diabetics
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, it's crucial that you see your eye doctor for regular exams. Over time, symptoms of diabetes can lead to vision deterioration and even blindness. As early detection is your best defense against vision loss, book your appointment or come in for a walk-in eye exam right away.
The exam process is similar to a basic eye exam but with extra emphasis on common diabetic eye issues, including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts and glaucoma. Our eye doctor passes along any findings to your primary care doctor, for your records.
Preparing for Your Eye Exam
Please bring the following with you, to your eye examination:
- Insurance information
- Current glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them
- List of any current medications
- Any information you have about your family's ocular history
Book Your Eye Exam with Optical London Drugs
We are more than happy to assist you with all your vision needs. Reach out to us at Optical London Drugs today to book an eye exam appointment . We also offer walk-in eye exam services, so feel free to stop by any time.