What Your Eye Doctor Checks During a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Patients sometimes ask why an eye exam takes an hour when their old glasses still seem fine. The answer is that the prescription is the smallest part of what we're doing.

We check visual acuity at distance and near, measure eye pressure, evaluate eye alignment and pupil response, dilate the pupils, and examine the front of the eye (cornea, iris, lens) and the back (retina, macula, optic nerve). Along the way we screen for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, dry eye, and a long list of systemic conditions — high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disease — that often show up in the eye first.

Most adults benefit from a comprehensive exam every 1 to 2 years; annually after age 60 or if you have diabetes, a strong family history of eye disease, or any chronic ocular condition.

Bring your current glasses, a list of medications, and any symptom history. Plan on light sensitivity for a few hours after dilation — a driver is helpful for some patients.