Will my eye test hurt?
If you have not had an eye test before, you may be wondering whether it will hurt. After all, we are all sensitive about anyone or anything touching our eyes.
Although an eye exam can be uncomfortable at times, it will not hurt. You will be having eye drops put into your eyes. This does not hurt, but you may find it irritating, especially if you are a "blinker". However, your eye doctor and his assistants are very experienced, and will be able to get the drops into your eyes without a problem, no matter how much your eyelids may flutter!
Your eye test actually includes a series of exams
The first is a vision acuity eye test. After your eyes are dilated, your doctor will be able to look inside them. Dilated eyes can reveal symptoms of diseases throughout the entire body. And it is easier for your eye doctor to examine the eye itself once it is dilated.
The vision acuity test determines the sharpness and clarity of your vision. You will read the letters on the eye chart while different lenses are placed in front of your eyes. Getting your correction right is very important. Over or under correction can cause eye strain, headaches and neck and shoulder pain. Perfect vision is called 20/20 vision. If your vision is less than perfect, the number will read something like 20/60. 20/60 vision means that you have to be within twenty feet of an object to see it as well as someone with 20/20 vision sees it at 60 feet.
The next eye test is the confrontational visual field test. This eye test determines your range of vision. The pupillary eye test determines your eyes reaction to light. Pupillary reactions can help your doctor to diagnose neurological problems.
The retinoscopy eye test tests refraction and diagnoses nearsightedness or farsightedness. This eye test helps to determine whether you need corrective lenses, and what correction you need. The slit lamp eye test allows your doctor to examine the back of your eye and determine general eye health.
The tonometry eye test measures eye pressure. Abnormal eye pressure can be a sign of an eye disease called glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause you to lose your peripheral vision. Early detection is important.
The last eye test is the dilated fundus test. It allows your eye doctor to check your vitreous, optic nerve, blood vessels, macula and retina. It's used to detect many different eye diseases.
None of these eye exams are invasive, and none are painful. The only thing that ever touches your actual eye is the eye drops. Your eye doctor may shine a bright light in your eye, which like the eye drops can be irritating, but it is not painful.
After your eye test is over your eyes will still be dilated for several hours. Light-eyed people's eyes will remain dilated longer than dark-eyed people's eyes. You will need someone to drive you home from your eye appointment. If you do not take sunglasses to the appointment with you, the doctor's office will supply you with a plastic pair to protect your eyes from the outside light.
Your eye health is an important part of your overall body health. Make an appointment, and get your eye test. It's easy, and it's not painful.