Eye exam - Mayo Clinic

An eye exam involves a series of tests to evaluate your vision and check for eye diseases. Your eye doctor is likely to use various ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions Weareopenforsafein-personcare. Learnmore: MayoClinicfactsaboutcoronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19) OurCOVID-19patientandvisitorguidelines,plustrustedhealthinformation Lateston COVID-19vaccination bysite: Arizonapatientvaccinationupdates Arizona, Floridapatientvaccinationupdates Florida, Rochesterpatientvaccinationupdates Rochesterand MayoClinicHealthSystempatientvaccinationupdates MCHS Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforEyeexamAboutDoctors&Departments Print OverviewAneyeexaminvolvesaseriesofteststoevaluateyourvisionandcheckforeyediseases.Youreyedoctorislikelytousevariousinstruments,shinebrightlightsatyoureyesandrequestthatyoulookthroughanarrayoflenses.Eachtestduringaneyeexamevaluatesadifferentaspectofyourvisionoreyehealth.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionBook:MayoClinicGuidetoBetterVisionNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic Whyit'sdoneAneyeexamhelpsdetecteyeproblemsattheirearlieststage—whenthey'remosttreatable.Regulareyeexamsgiveyoureyecareprofessionalachancetohelpyoucorrectoradapttovisionchangesandprovideyouwithtipsoncaringforyoureyes.Andaneyeexammightprovidecluestoyouroverallhealth. WhentohaveaneyeexamSeveralfactorscandeterminehowfrequentlyyouneedaneyeexam,includingyourage,healthandriskofdevelopingeyeproblems.Generalguidelinesareasfollows: Children3yearsandyounger Yourchild'spediatricianwilllikelycheckyourchild'seyesforhealthyeyedevelopmentandlookforthemostcommonchildhoodeyeproblems—lazyeye,cross-eyesormisalignedeyes.Amorecomprehensiveeyeexambetweentheagesof3and5willlookforproblemswithvisionandeyealignment. School-agechildrenandadolescents Haveyourchild'svisioncheckedbeforeheorsheenterskindergarten.Yourchild'sdoctorcanrecommendhowfrequenteyeexamsshouldbeafterthat. Adults Ingeneral,ifyouarehealthyandyouhavenosymptomsofvisionproblems,theAmericanAcademyofOphthalmologyrecommendshavingacompleteeyeexamatage40,whensomevisionchangesandeyediseasesarelikelytostart.Basedontheresultsofyourscreening,youreyedoctorcanrecommendhowoftenyoushouldhavefutureeyeexams. Ifyou're60orolder,haveyoureyescheckedeveryyearortwo. Haveyoureyescheckedmoreoftenifyou: Wearglassesorcontactlenses Haveafamilyhistoryofeyediseaseorlossofvision Haveachronicdiseasethatputsyouatgreaterriskofeyedisease,suchasdiabetes Takemedicationsthathaveseriouseyesideeffects MoreInformationEyedilation:Necessarywitheveryeyeexam?AlbinismBlockedtearductCataractsConvergenceinsufficiencyDizzinessDryeyesDrymaculardegenerationEctropionEntropionEyefloatersEyemelanomaEyestrainFarsightednessFuchs'dystrophyHornersyndromeIritisKeratitisKeratoconusKrabbediseaseLazyeye(amblyopia)MigrainewithauraMultiplesystematrophy(MSA)NearsightednessOpticneuritisPosteriorcorticalatrophyPrematurebirthPresbyopiaPseudotumorcerebri(idiopathicintracranialhypertension)RetinoblastomaRettsyndromeSebaceouscarcinomaShakenbabysyndromeSjogren'ssyndromeSticklersyndromeSubconjunctivalhemorrhage(brokenbloodvesselineye)UveitisWetmaculardegenerationWilson'sdiseaseShowmorerelatedinformation RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic HowyouprepareTherearethreetypesofeyespecialists.Whichspecialistyouchoosemightbeamatterofpreferenceorwilldependonthenatureofyoureyeproblem. Ophthalmologists.Thesemedicaldoctorsprovidefulleyecare,suchasperformingcompleteeyeexams,prescribingcorrectivelenses,diagnosingandtreatingcomplexeyediseases,andperformingeyesurgery. Optometrists.Thesedoctorsprovidemanyofthesameservicesasophthalmologists,suchasperformingcompleteeyeexams,evaluatingyourvision,prescribingcorrectivelenses,diagnosingcommoneyedisordersandtreatingselectedeyediseaseswithdrugs.Ifyouhaveacomplexeyeproblemorneedsurgery,youroptometristcanreferyoutoanophthalmologist. Opticians.Theyfillprescriptionsforeyeglasses,includingassembling,fittingandsellingthem.Someopticiansalsosellcontactlenses.Opticiansdonotprovideeyehealthevaluations. BringyourprescriptioneyewearIfyouwearcontactlensesorglasses,bringthemtoyourappointment.Youreyedoctorwillwanttomakesureyourprescriptionisthebestoneforyou. OtherprecautionsBringsunglassestowearafteryoureyeexam.Ifyoureyesaredilatedduringyourexam,sunlightorotherbrightlightscancausediscomfortorblurredvision.Also,considerhavingsomeoneelsedriveyouhome. WhatyoucanexpectBeforetheexamIfyou'reseeinganeweyedoctororifyou'rehavingyourfirsteyeexam,expectquestionsaboutyourvisionandgeneralhealthhistory.Youranswershelpyoureyedoctorunderstandyourriskofeyediseaseandvisionproblems.Questionsmightinclude: Areyouhavingeyeproblemsnow? Haveyouhadeyeproblemsinthepast? Doyouwearglassesorcontacts?Ifso,areyousatisfiedwiththem? Whathealthproblemshaveyouhadinrecentyears? Wereyoubornprematurely? Whatmedicationsdoyoutake? Doyouhaveallergiestomedications,foodorothersubstances? Haveyouhadeyesurgery? Doesanyoneinyourfamilyhaveeyeproblems,suchasmaculardegeneration,glaucomaorretinaldetachments? Doyouordoesanyoneinyourfamilyhavediabetes,highbloodpressure,heartdiseaseoranyotherhealthproblemsthatcanaffectthewholebody? DuringtheexamAclinicalassistantortechnicianmightdopartoftheexamination,suchastakingyourmedicalhistoryandgivingtheinitialeyetest.Aneyeexamusuallyinvolvesthesesteps: Measurementofyourvisualacuitytoseeifyouneedglassesorcontactlensestoimproveyourvision. Measurementofyoureyepressure.You'llbegivenanumbingdropinyoureyes.Tomakeiteasierforyourdoctortoexaminetheinsideofyoureye,heorshewilllikelygiveyoueyedropstodilateyoureyes. Evaluationofthehealthofyoureyes.Afterthedilatingdropstakeeffect,youreyedoctormightuseseverallightsorimagingtoevaluatethefrontoftheeyeandtheinsideofeacheye. Yourdoctormightuseseveralteststocheckyourvisionandtheappearanceandfunctionofallpartsofyoureyes. AftertheexamAttheendofyoureyeexam,youandyourdoctorwilldiscusstheresultsofalltesting,includinganassessmentofyourvision,yourriskofeyediseaseandpreventivemeasuresyoucantaketoprotectyoureyesight. Differenttypesofeyeexams Eyemuscletest Thistestevaluatesthemusclesthatcontroleyemovement.Youreyedoctorwatchesasyoureyesfollowamovingobject,suchasapenorsmalllight.Heorshelooksformuscleweakness,poorcontrolorpoorcoordination. Visualacuitytest Openpop-updialogbox Close Visualacuitytest Visualacuitytest Duringacommontestforvisualacuity,yourdoctorhasyoureadfromacharttodeterminehowwellyoucanseelettersatadistance. Visualacuitytest Thistestmeasureshowclearlyyousee.Yourdoctorasksyoutoidentifydifferentlettersofthealphabetprintedonachartorascreenpositionedsomedistanceaway.Thelinesoftypegetsmallerasyoumovedownthechart. Eacheyeistestedseparately.Yournearvisionalsomaybetested,usingacardwithlettersheldatreadingdistance. Refractionassessment Openpop-updialogbox Close Refractionassessment Refractionassessment Duringarefractionassessment,yourdoctorasksyoutolookthroughamasklikedevice(phoropter)thatcontainswheelsthatholdlensesofdifferentstrengthstohelpdeterminewhichcombinationgivesyouthesharpestvision. Refractionassessment Lightwavesarebentastheypassthroughyourcorneaandlens.Iflightraysdon'tfocusperfectlyonthebackofyoureye,youhavearefractiveerror.Thatcanmeanyouneedsomeformofcorrection,suchasglasses,contactlensesorrefractivesurgery,toseeasclearlyaspossible. Assessmentofyourrefractiveerrorhelpsyourdoctordeterminealensprescriptionthatwillgiveyouthesharpest,mostcomfortablevision.Theassessmentcanalsodeterminethatyoudon'tneedcorrectivelenses. Yourdoctormayuseacomputerizedrefractortoestimateyourprescriptionforglassesorcontactlenses.Orheorshemayuseatechniquecalledretinoscopy.Inthisprocedure,thedoctorshinesalightintoyoureyeandmeasurestherefractiveerrorbyevaluatingthemovementofthelightreflectedbyyourretinabackthroughyourpupil. Youreyedoctorusuallyfine-tunesthisrefractionassessmentbyhavingyoulookthroughamasklikedevicethatcontainswheelsofdifferentlenses(phoropter).Heorsheasksyoutojudgewhichcombinationoflensesgivesyouthesharpestvision. Manualvisualfieldtesting Openpop-updialogbox Close Manualvisualfieldtesting Manualvisualfieldtesting DuringmanualGoldmannvisualfieldtesting,youlookatatestingscreenonwhichsmallspotsoflightcomeintoyourfieldofview.Youpressabuttoneachtimeyouseethelightspotandyourresponseismappedbyatechnician.Yourdoctorevaluatesthismap,whichhelpsidentifydefectsinyourfieldofvision. Visualfieldtest(perimetry) Yourvisualfieldisthefullextentofwhatyoucanseetothesideswithoutmovingyoureyes.Thevisualfieldtestdetermineswhetheryouhavedifficultyseeinganywhereinyouroverallfieldofvision.Typesofvisualfieldtestsinclude: Confrontationexam.Youreyedoctorsitsdirectlyinfrontofyouandasksyoutocoveroneeye.Youlookstraightaheadandtellthedoctoreachtimeyouseehisorherhandmoveintoview. Manualtesting,includingtangentscreenandGoldmannexams.Yousitashortdistancefromascreenandfocusonatargetatitscenter.Youtellthedoctorwhenyoucanseeanobjectmoveintoyourperipheralvisionandwhenitdisappears. Automatedperimetry.Asyoulookatascreenwithblinkinglightsonit,youpressabuttoneachtimeyouseealight. Usingyourresponsestooneormoreofthesetests,youreyedoctordeterminesthefullnessofyourfieldofvision.Ifyouaren'tabletoseeincertainareas,notingthepatternofyourvisualfieldlosscanhelpyoureyedoctordiagnoseyoureyecondition. Colorvisiontesting Youcouldhavepoorcolorvisionwithoutrealizingit.Ifyouhavedifficultydistinguishingcertaincolors,youreyedoctormightscreenyourvisionforacolordeficiency.Todothis,yourdoctorshowsyouseveralmulticoloreddot-patterntests. Ifyouhavenocolordeficiency,you'llbeabletopickoutnumbersandshapesfromwithinthedotpatterns.Ifyoudohaveacolordeficiency,you'llfinditdifficulttoseecertainpatternswithinthedots. Formostpeople,colorblindnessthat'spresentatbirth(congenital)isred-green,meaningyoucan'tdistinguishthosecolors.Mostpeoplewhodevelopcolorblindnessasaresultofdisease,suchasglaucomaoropticnervedisease,can'tdistinguishblue-yellow. Slit-lampexamination Openpop-updialogbox Close Slit-lampexamination Slit-lampexamination Youreyedoctormayuseamicroscopecalledaslitlamptoexaminethefrontofyoureye.Themicroscopefocusesanintensenarrowlineoflightonyoureye.Theslitlampprovidesamagnified,3Dviewoftheeyeandallowsyourdoctortodetectanysmallabnormalities.Usedwithspeciallensesheldclosetotheeye,theslitlampalsoprovidesdetailedviewsofthebackoftheeye. Slit-lampexamination Aslitlampisamicroscopethatmagnifiesandilluminatesthefrontofyoureyewithanintenselineoflight.Yourdoctorusesthisdevicetoexaminetheeyelids,lashes,cornea,iris,lensandfluidchamberbetweenyourcorneaandiris. Yourdoctormayuseadye,mostcommonlyfluorescein(flooh-RES-een),tocolorthefilmoftearsoveryoureye.Thishelpsrevealdamagedcellsonthefrontofyoureye.Yourtearswashthedyefromthesurfaceofyoureyefairlyquickly. Indirectophthalmoscopy Openpop-updialogbox Close Indirectophthalmoscopy Indirectophthalmoscopy Asyouliedown,reclineinachairorsitup,yourdoctorexaminestheinsideofyoureyewiththeaidofaspeciallensandabrightlight.Thisallowsyourdoctortoseedetailsoftheretinaandotherstructuresinyoureyeinthreedimensions. Retinalexamination Thisexamination—sometimescalledophthalmoscopyorfunduscopy—allowsyourdoctortoevaluatethebackofyoureye,includingtheretina,theopticdiskandtheretinalbloodvesselsthatnourishtheretina.Havingyourpupilsdilatedwitheyedropsbeforetheexamkeepsyourpupilsfromgettingsmallerwhenyourdoctorshineslightintotheeye. Afteradministeringeyedropsandgivingthemtimetowork,youreyedoctormayuseoneormoreofthesetechniquestoviewthebackofyoureye: Directexam.Youreyedoctorusesanophthalmoscopetoshineabeamoflightthroughyourpupiltoseethebackoftheeye.Sometimeseyedropsaren'tnecessarytodilateyoureyesbeforethisexam. Indirectexam.Duringthisexam,youmightsituporbereclinedintheexamchair.Youreyedoctorexaminestheinsideoftheeyewiththeaidofacondensinglensandabrightlightmountedonhisorherforehead.Thisexamletsyourdoctorseetheretinaandotherstructuresinsideyoureyeingreatdetailandinthreedimensions. Applanationtonometry Openpop-updialogbox Close Applanationtonometry Applanationtonometry Thistestmeasuresfluidpressureinyoureye.Thetestinvolvesusingaslitlampequippedwithforeheadandchinsupportsandatiny,flat-tippedconethatgentlycomesintocontactwithyourcornea.Thetestmeasurestheamountofforceneededtotemporarilyflattenapartofyourcornea. Screeningforglaucoma Tonometrymeasuresthefluidpressureinsideyoureye(intraocularpressure).Thisisonetestthathelpsyoureyedoctordetectglaucoma,adiseasethatdamagestheopticnerve. Severalmethodstomeasureintraocularpressureareavailable,including: Applanationtonometry.Thistestmeasurestheamountofforceneededtotemporarilyflattenapartofyourcornea.You'llbegiveneyedropswithfluorescein,thesamedyeusedinaregularslit-lampexamination.You'llalsoreceiveeyedropscontainingananesthetic. Usingtheslitlamp,yourdoctormovesthetonometertotouchyourcorneaanddeterminetheeyepressure.Becauseyoureyeisnumbed,thetestdoesn'thurt. Noncontacttonometry.Thismethodusesapuffofairtoestimatethepressureinyoureye.Noinstrumentstouchyoureye,soyouwon'tneedananesthetic.You'llfeelamomentarypulseofaironyoureye,whichcanbestartling. Ifyoureyepressureishigherthanaverageoryouropticnervelooksunusual,yourdoctormightuseapachymeter,whichusessoundwavestomeasurethethicknessofyourcornea.Themostcommonwayofmeasuringcornealthicknessistoputananestheticdropinyoureye,thenplaceasmallprobeincontactwiththefrontsurfaceoftheeye.Themeasurementtakesseconds. Youmightneedmore-specializedtests,dependingonyourage,medicalhistoryandriskofdevelopingeyedisease. ResultsResultsfromaneyeexaminclude: Whetheryouneedvisioncorrection,eitherthroughglasses,contactlensesorsurgery Whetheryoureyesarehealthy,oryouhavecataracts,glaucomaorretinaldisorders,suchasmaculardegenerationordiabeticretinopathy Ifyouneedcorrectivelenses,yourdoctorwillgiveyouaprescription.Ifyoureyeexamyieldsotherabnormalresults,yourdoctorwilldiscusswithyouthenextstepsforfurthertestingorfortreatinganunderlyingcondition. Clinicaltrials ExploreMayoClinicstudiesoftestsandprocedurestohelpprevent,detect,treatormanageconditions. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Doctors&Departments April10,2021 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Seethefullpictureofyourhealthwithanannualcomprehensiveeyeexam.AmericanOptometricAssociation.https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/full-picture-of-eye-health?sso=y.AccessedJan.8,2021. Eyeexamandvisiontestingbasics.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/eye-exams-101.AccessedJan.8,2021. Differencebetweenanophthalmologist,optometristandoptician.AmericanAssociationforPediatricOphthalmologyandStrabismus.https://aapos.org/glossary/difference-between-an-ophthalmologist-optometrist-and-optician.AccessedJan.8,2021. Getaneyediseasescreeningat40.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/screening.AccessedJan.8,2021. Eyescreeningforchildren.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/children-eye-screening.AccessedJan.11,2021. YanoffM,etal.,eds.Examinationofocularalignmentandeyemovements.In:Ophthalmology.5thed.Elsevier;2019.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedJan.8,2021. AskMayoExpert.Glaucoma(adult).MayoClinic;2019. Visionscreening.AmericanAssociationforPediatricOphthalmologyandStrabismus.https://aapos.org/glossary/vision-screening-description.AccessedJan.8,2021. Evaluationoftheophthalmologicpatient.MerckManualProfessionalVersion.https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/eye-disorders/approach-to-the-ophthalmologic-patient/evaluation-of-the-ophthalmologic-patient.AccessedJan.11,2021. Getadilatedeyeexam.NationalEyeInstitute.https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/healthy-vision/get-dilated-eye-exam.AccessedJan.11,2021. Related Albinism Applanationtonometry Blockedtearduct Cataracts Convergenceinsufficiency Diabeticretinopathy Dizziness Dryeyes Drymaculardegeneration Ectropion Entropion Eyedilation:Necessarywitheveryeyeexam? Eyefloaters Eyemelanoma Eyestrain Farsightedness Fuchs'dystrophy Hornersyndrome Indirectophthalmoscopy Iritis Keratitis Keratoconus Krabbedisease Lazyeye(amblyopia) Manualvisualfieldtesting Migrainewithaura Multiplesystematrophy(MSA) Nearsightedness Neurofibromatosis Noonansyndrome Opticneuritis Posteriorcorticalatrophy Prematurebirth Presbyopia Pseudotumorcerebri(idiopathicintracranialhypertension) Refractionassessment Retinoblastoma Rettsyndrome Sebaceouscarcinoma Shakenbabysyndrome Sjogren'ssyndrome Slit-lampexamination Sticklersyndrome Subconjunctivalhemorrhage(brokenbloodvesselineye) Uveitis Visualacuitytest Wetmaculardegeneration Wilson'sdisease Showmorerelatedcontent NewsfromMayoClinic Aresunglassesnecessary? June25,2021,04:00p.m.CDT Products&Services Book:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEdition Book:MayoClinicGuidetoBetterVision Newsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEdition ShowmoreproductsandservicesfromMayoClinic EyeexamAboutDoctors&Departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. NEW–CookSmart,EatWell-MayoClinicPressNEW–CookSmart,EatWellFREEMayoClinicDietAssessment-MayoClinicPressFREEMayoClinicDietAssessmentNEW–MayoCliniconHearingandBalance-MayoClinicPressNEW–MayoCliniconHearingandBalanceMayoClinicHealthLetter-FREEbook-MayoClinicPressMayoClinicHealthLetter-FREEbookLiveYoungerLonger-MayoClinicPressLiveYoungerLonger PRC-20156911 PatientCare&HealthInformation Tests&Procedures Eyeexam