What Happens When You Visit an Optometrist?

Anyone experiencing eye problems should first visit an optometrist if they have never visited an eye doctor before. Of course, if you have visited an eye doctor before, you might have an idea of where you need to go for treatment. Visiting an optometrist first is important because they are the eye doctors responsible for examining and diagnosing patients with eye problems.

Examples of eye problems include cloudy and spotty vision, blindness, sensitivity, difficulty reading and long- or short-sightedness. Here's everything you need to know about optometrists:

What Happens When You Visit an Optometrist Eye Clinic?

When you visit an optometrist, they will expect you to talk about your eye symptoms. You may also be asked about your health history and that of your family. This helps optometrists get an idea of what you might be suffering from and helps them know what tests to conduct.

Eye Tests

Long- or short-sightedness 

If the optometrist suspects you have long- or short-sightedness based on your symptoms and answers to their questions, a Snellen chart test may be conducted. Don't worry; there is no injection. Neither is the test painful. You are merely asked to sit at a particular distance away from a chart and instructed to read the letters and numbers you can see. This helps your optometrist identify whether you are long- or short-sighted.

Early or late stages of eye disease

If your optometrist suspects that you are in the early or late stages of eye disease, they may want to look inside your eye with the help of an ophthalmoscope or retina camera. Again, this is not painful.

Diagnosis and Treatment

First, if it is found that you are long- or short-sighted, expect the optometrist to ask you to look through different lenses. Doing this helps them find out which lenses correct your refraction error (refraction errors cause long/short-sightedness). Once the lenses are identified, a glass prescription form is filled. You are expected to take the form to an optician. Opticians specialise in fitting and designing prescription glasses.

Secondly, if it is found that you are in the early stages of eye disease, the optometrist recommends medication or lifestyle and diet changes. These either treat your eye condition or manage it.

Thirdly, if it is found that you are in the late stages of eye disease, especially one that needs surgery, you might be referred to an ophthalmologist (eye surgeon). For more information, contact an optometrist.