Eye Tests: What to Expect

By Jackie Mitchell

Eye Tests: What to expect

Going for a regular eye test is vitally important not only to examine your vision, but because a routine eye test can identify medical conditions at an early stage. According to the College of Optometrists, an eye test can detect high blood pressure, diabetes and even thyroid problems. Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, Clinical Adviser at the College says “Even if you’ve not had a sight test for over five years or if you have perfect vision, you should have an eye test to check for conditions such as glaucoma, where symptoms don’t show for three or four years. If you have other problems such as red eyes, painful eyes or distortions in your vision, don’t delay having an eye test.” Adults should generally have an eye test every two years, unless there’s a family history of eye disease. Your optometrist will advise how often you should have one. The day before your appointment, the optometrist will phone to confirm you have no Covid-19 symptoms. Allow at least forty-five minutes for your eye test, although it may 20

take longer as the optometrist must disinfect surfaces and follow Covid-compliant procedures to ensure sight tests are safe. Optometrists wear PPE, follow social distancing and see fewer patients. What to expect at an eye test? Eye tests are tailored to suit the individual depending on the result of your last test, your family history and whether you wear glasses or contact lenses. It will start with a discussion with your optometrist about whether there have been any changes in your eyesight before moving onto the diagnostic tests. A range of machines is used to examine the eyes. These include: • The non-contact tonometer, which checks whether the pressure inside the eyes is normal by bouncing a puff of air at each eye in turn. • The Optical Coherence

Tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive machine that shines a

LED light in your eye to enable your optometrist to view every layer (retina) of the back of your eye in detail.

• The Slit Lamp is a microscope with a bright light enabling the optometrist to look at different parts of the eye front and back. At the sight test, you will be asked to read from a chart that tests your distance and near vision. Once all the tests are completed, the optometrist will summarise the findings and give you your prescription, which can be used when buying glasses. The dispensing optician will help you choose a pair of glasses. “This is an art in itself as there are many aspects to consider, such as the weight of the glasses and the different coatings,” he adds. When you return to collect your spectacles, the optician will make sure they fit properly and adjust them if necessary. The optometrist may advise on contact lenses or there may be a specialist contact lenses optician. “They will suggest the best lenses for your eyes. Usually you will try out the lenses for a couple of weeks to see if they are suitable,” says Daniel.

www.college-optometrists.org Association of British Dispensing Opticians www.abdo.org.uk

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