Vision Exams: Testing your Eye-Q

There are several kinds of eye doctors. An optometrist determines and examines vision problems. Sometimes, an optometrist will refer you to a specialized eye doctor to treat your condition. An ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats eye diseases and performs surgery. An optician assists both the optometrist and ophthalmologist and is trained in repairing eyeglasses and contact lenses. An ocularist prepares and provides artificial eyes, and an orthoptist performs a non-surgical treatment of vision disorders related to eye movement and alignment.

When you are experiencing eye problems, visit an optometrist first who will guide you on which kind of doctor you need to see. Different eye exams are carried out, depending on your condition. In a basic eye exam, a doctor moves his or her finger from side to side, as your eyes follow its movement without nodding your head, to check whether your cornea, iris and pupil are functioning properly. The doctor also takes the appearance and shape of your eyes and your field of vision and depth perception into account.

Another kind of exam is the slit lamp examination which tests your eye structure. The doctor uses a device called the slit lamp where you rest your chin to detect whether there are abnormalities in the back and front of your eyes. This kind of exam aims to identify vision problems such as cataracts, macular degeneration and corneal ulcers.

The eye doctor in Indianapolis also studies your retina through a retinal exam called a fundoscopy. Before the exam, the doctor puts eye drops in your eyes, making your pupils dilate. After the drops kick in after about thirty minutes, the doctor uses certain instruments to do an in-depth analysis of your eyes.

Other kinds of exams an eye doctor in Indianapolis performs are glaucoma tests, which measure the pressure in your eyes. You rest your chin on a machine, and the doctor puffs a small burst of air at your open eye. If you have a high eye pressure, then you are diagnosed with glaucoma, an eye disorder that weakens your peripheral vision (your ability to see edges of your vision).

The most common eye exam performed is the visual acuity test to determine how sharp your vision is. Using a projected eye chart to test your visual distance and a hand-held acuity chart for near vision, you get to find out whether you have 20 20 vision Indianapolis.