Our eyes are the window to the world, which is why it’s so important to protect your vision. As March is Save Your Vision Month, there’s no better time to book in a comprehensive eye exam!

Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that about 11 million Americans over the age of 12 need vision correction? Many eye conditions can also go undetected very easily without any monitoring, which can impact our vision, overall health, and lifestyle. When one of our eye doctors examines your eyes, they are doing more than checking your prescription – they are looking for signs of eye disease, chronic illness, and even cancer.

Eye exams should start from childhood to detect early signs of illness or poor vision. Many young children are misdiagnosed with conditions like ADHD, when in fact they just need glasses. Eye exams for children are also a great way to identify issues like myopia (near-sightedness), amblyopia (lazy eye), or strabismus (cross-eyed). Many of these conditions can be corrected while children are still young, preventing permanent damage or health issues as they go into adulthood.

Our eye doctors in Oak Lawn provide eye exams for all ages. We are committed to protecting your vision and offer comprehensive assessments that will also identify any eye health issues.

What Happens At An Eye Exam?

Whether you are a regular or new, here at Davis Eyecare Associates, we treat all our patients with care and compassion.

Following an initial assessment to determine the reason for your visit, we will run through the necessary tests to check your vision and eye health, which can include:

• Visual Field Test: Your visual field is the area that you see while looking at a specific object. A visual field test examines your ability to see what is in this direct area.

• Tonometry Test: We have all felt that little puff of air or tonometry test that checks the amount of pressure in your eyes. Your response to this test can determine if you have or are at risk of conditions like glaucoma.

• Peripheral Vision: Our peripheral vision lets us see the world around us without moving our heads. This simple assessment is an early indicator of many vision-threatening conditions like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or retinitis pigmentosa.

• Binocular Vision Test: A binocular vision test looks at our left and right eye focusing on images. Are your eyes working together as a team or is one overcompensating for the other? This test will quickly determine if one of your eyes is weaker than the other.

• Colour Evaluation: The world is filled with color but not everyone sees color in the same way. A color evaluation test determines a patient’s ability to differentiate between colors. This is done using Ishihara color plates, a series of circles with colored dots inside that form a number. This is an important test for both adults and children as it can determine color blindness.

Patients can also opt to have a non-invasive OCT scan, which allows our eye doctors to see the different layers at back of your eye in detail. Rest assured that if we feel there may be an underlying issue with your eyes, we will run additional diagnostic tests to determine the cause.

How Often Should You Have An Eye Exam?

Regular eye exams are important as they allow our eye doctors to track both your vision and eye health so any changes can be addressed and treated early on. It is generally recommended that you have your eyes checked every two years, however, our eye doctors will always let you know how frequently you should have them checked based on your individual needs.

It is also important to pay attention to your family history. If you have immediate relatives with eye conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, or cataracts, make sure to tell your eye doctor so they can ensure you get the right tests to identify any potential eye health issues.

If you find you are having difficulty seeing things clearly, or know that you are due for your next eye exam, why not contact Davis Eyecare Associates today to schedule an eye exam? Our eye doctors in Oak Lawn have been helping people in the local community and beyond to see better for many years and are dedicated to helping you find the right solution for your vision and eye health!