Once a year or if you’re experiencing a problem with your eyes, it’s time for an eye exam. Just like you would go to your primary doctor or dentist for a yearly exam, you should visit an optometrist for a routine eye exam. In the Eastern Upper Peninsula, come to Great Lakes Optometry in Sault Ste. Marie, MI for your eye exams.
Why Should You Get an Eye Exam?
Eye exams are important for the regular care and health of your eyes. An exam serves many purposes in one visit, including helping you see at your best and finding any eye conditions that may be present. Through continuous checks, preventive steps, and early treatment, an eye exam can ensure your eyes stay healthy.
During an eye exam, your optometrist will determine whether you require corrective lenses to help you see better or can ensure you’re continuing to wear the right prescription for the best vision possible. In addition, an eye exam is a way to find eye conditions and treat them as early as possible.
Eye exams are smart for people of all ages; they’re not only for when you’re older. Exams can help children see, and learn, better and can catch problems that school screenings tend to miss. Also, adults of any age can develop poor vision or early signs of eye disease. The sooner these problems are caught, the better we can find a solution and prevent eye damage. Another plus of an eye exam is that eye doctors are able to screen for signs of other health conditions through the eyes, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer.
What to Expect During an Eye Exam
We will start by dilating your pupils, which allows us to see inside the eye and check for any problems. Our optometrist, Dr. Thomas Choponis, will provide a comprehensive exam to ensure that your ocular health is at its best, which is a service that can include diabetic eye exams, children’s vision testing, developmental vision exams, laser vision correction consultations and more.
A comprehensive eye exam includes a number of tests and steps. In general, you can expect our optometrist to perform:
- visual acuity tests like reading an eye chart
- a color blindness test
- ocular motility testing to check eye movements
- a stereopsis test for depth perception
- a cover test to see the connection between how your eyes work as a team
- a retinoscopy to give an idea of a glasses prescription
- refraction to figure out the proper prescription
- a slit lamp exam for the doctor to check for diseases
- a glaucoma test
- possibly other tests
During the exam, our optometrist will look to see if there are signs of an eye disease or condition. These could include glaucoma, retinopathy, maculopathy, retinal tears, retinal detachments or macular degeneration. If the doctor notices signs of these or other eye conditions, we would discuss next steps with you.
Keep in mind that you may want to have someone drive you to and from your eye exam appointment. This is because the dilation can last up to eight hours, causing light sensitivity and blurred vision, which could make it difficult to drive safely. We can provide you with disposable sunglasses for your trip home, or you’re free to use your own sunglasses.
Set Up Your Appointment
Are you ready for your first eye exam or looking to switch from another doctor? To schedule an eye exam in the Sault Ste. Marie, MI area, contact our office at Great Lakes Optometry. Call our team at (906) 635-9600 or request an appointment through our website.