| Many people correlate a ‘healthy’ lifestyle | | | | your current prescription and compares it to the |
| with measures such as exercising, taking vitamins, | | | | focimetry readings and previous prescription |
| eating healthily, and refraining from smoking. | | | | details to ensure stability. |
| However, ensuring your health is fully in shape | | | | Another common type of eye test is |
| takes even more. Sometimes, it’s necessary | | | | autorefraction, which reads how light passes |
| to consult a health professional for check-ups, just | | | | through your eye in order to help determine your |
| to ensure everything is as it should be. | | | | baseline prescription, while a second light-based |
| One example of this has to do with your vision. | | | | exam is the slit lamp exam - which uses a |
| Even if you don’t notice a drastic difference | | | | microscope and a small beam of light to examine |
| with your eyesight from day to day, it’s | | | | your corneas, conjunctiva, lids, iris and lens under |
| possible for your vision to change over an | | | | high magnification. |
| extended period of time. If you already wear | | | | Next, the strength and pressure of your eye is |
| glasses or contact lenses this could mean requiring | | | | likely to be measured. An ocular muscle |
| a new prescription. | | | | assessment, for instance, is carried out to assess |
| However, an eye test can do more than ensure | | | | the strength and flexibility of your eye muscles, |
| your prescription is up-to-date. It can also monitor | | | | while a tonometry exam is used to measure the |
| early signs of eye disease, such as glaucoma and | | | | pressure in your eye. The latter is a key indicator |
| cataracts, and help detect other health-related | | | | in diagnosing glaucoma. |
| conditions such as diabetes and high blood | | | | One of the most common eye exams is simply |
| pressure. So it’s important to visit an | | | | the visual acuity testing - which measures the |
| optometrist on a regular basis, to ensure your | | | | eye’s ability to see details at near and far |
| vision is in shape. | | | | distances. The testing usually involves reading |
| Before you go in for an eye test or vision check | | | | letters on an eye chart. And last but not least, |
| up, it’s important to understand the different | | | | your optometrist will often test the health of your |
| types of tests, and what each one is for. For | | | | internal eye - and in particular, the retina - with a |
| instance, if you already wear glasses, your | | | | retinal exam. To do this, he or she will usually use |
| optometrist is likely to perform a focimetry exam | | | | eye drops. |
| - a measurement of your current spectacle | | | | Once you understand all the basic eye tests and |
| power, which is taken to determine your current | | | | what they test for, you’ll be better equipped |
| prescription strength. Next, refraction is usually | | | | to ask your optometrist questions during your |
| carried out. This is when your optometrist verifies | | | | visit, and to ultimately maintain better visual health. |