Eye Exam

Regular eye exams are essential for protecting your vision. Even if you don’t have sight problems, you should go for an exam at the intervals your eye doctor recommends. At offices in Chiefland and Gainesville, Florida, leading ophthalmologist Maher Fanous, MD, and his North Florida Eye Center team provide comprehensive eye exams for adults and children over 12. To arrange your eye exam, call North Florida Eye Center today or request a consultation using the online booking form.

What is an eye exam?

An eye exam is a routine consultation at North Florida Eye Center, where your provider assesses your sight and looks for signs of eye problems.

Eye exams help you avoid disease and get prompt treatment if any problems develop. You can also ensure you get the right corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses if you have any sight problems.

What conditions can an eye exam detect?

Diseases your eye doctor checks for during an eye exam include:

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Macular degeneration
• Dry eye
• Diabetic retinal disease

The earlier you receive diagnosis and treatment for these conditions, the more successful the outcomes are likely to be.

What does an eye exam involve?

At the start of your eye exam, your eye doctor reviews your medical history and asks about any problems you’ve been experiencing. You also need to undergo tests, including:

Visual acuity

Visual acuity tests are where you read letters of different sizes on an eye chart. This determines how well each eye sees at a distance.

Corrective lens prescription

Your eye doctor uses a phoropter device to determine the optimal prescription for your corrective glasses or contact lenses.

Pupil reactivity

Your eye doctor shines a bright light into each eye to see how your pupils respond. They should shrink when the light is on them, then widen again afterward.

Peripheral vision assessment

This test checks how well you can see at the edges of your range of vision (periphery). Poor peripheral vision can be a symptom of glaucoma.

Ocular motility

An ocular motility test checks how well your eyes move. Your eye doctor uses it to ensure your eye alignment is correct and that the muscles controlling your eye movements are functioning properly.

Tonometry

Tonometry measures the pressure inside your eyeball (intraocular pressure or IOP). Raised IOP could be a symptom of glaucoma.

Structural evaluation

Your eye doctor uses a slit-lamp microscope to examine the front of your eye in detail. They look for problems like cataracts and scars on your cornea and check the inside of your eyelids.

Your provider may also use eye drops to dilate your pupils so they can examine the retinas and optic nerves at the back of your eyes.

Some people benefit from additional procedures, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) or retinal photography. These noninvasive tests provide a closer view of your retina.

If you’re due for an eye exam, don’t delay. Make an appointment at North Florida Eye Center today by calling the nearest office or scheduling a consultation online.