| The first part of an eye examination is to | | | | fluid, which is the clear fluid that fills the front of |
| evaluate your vision with either a wall chart or a | | | | your eyeball. |
| handheld chart. | | | | While your eye is numbed, a tonometer may be |
| The next portion of the examination, which is | | | | used to check the pressure in your eye. |
| usually only performed by an ophthalmologist or a | | | | Depending on the severity of injury to the eye, |
| doctor in the emergency department, is the slit | | | | the final portion of the examination involves |
| lamp examination. While you are sitting in a chair | | | | dilating (enlarging) the pupil with eyedrops. Then, |
| with your chin on a support, the doctor shines a | | | | the inside of the eye and the retina can be |
| small slit of light into your eye and looks through a | | | | evaluated to ensure that there are no foreign |
| microscope. This helps the doctor to see the | | | | bodies inside the eyeball itself as well as that |
| cornea, the iris, and the lens, as well as the fluid in | | | | there is no damage to the retina. |
| your eye. | | | | You should be able to care for minor debris in |
| The ophthalmologist starts with a general | | | | your eye at home. If you have trouble removing |
| examination of the visible portions of your eye. | | | | something in your eye or if a larger or sharper |
| Your eyelids, eyeball, and iris are examined. | | | | object is involved, you should seek medical |
| During this part of the examination, the doctor | | | | attention. If you are wearing a contact lens, it |
| looks to make sure that your pupil is symmetric | | | | should be removed prior to trying to remove the |
| and reacts properly to light, that there is no | | | | foreign body. Do not put the contact lens back |
| obvious injury to the eyeball, and that no visible | | | | into your eye until your eye is completely healed. |
| foreign bodies are still in your eye. | | | | It is very important not to rub your eye or to |
| During this first part of the examination, your | | | | apply any pressure to your eye. If you have |
| eyelid may be everted with a cotton swab to get | | | | punched a hole in your eye (called a ruptured |
| a better view of the underside of your eyelid. | | | | globe or eyeball), you can do significant damage |
| Your eye may be numbed with pain medicine, and | | | | by pressing or rubbing your eye. This is especially |
| a fluorescent dye may be applied to your eye. | | | | true with small children who will rub their eyes to |
| A blue light is then used to help look for scratches | | | | try to remove the debris. |
| on your cornea or evidence of leaking aqueous | | | | |