Eye Exams

Depending on your age, risk factors, and physical health, most experts recommend that you have a complete eye exam performed once per year. Those who are at higher risk for degenerative eye conditions or diseases, should have their eyes examined more frequently.

What information should I take with me to my eye exam?

• any eyeglasses and contact lenses you routinely use, including reading glasses
• a list of any medications you are currently taking, including their dosages
• a list of any nutritional supplements you take
• a list of any questions you wish to ask the doctor, especially if you are interested in contact lenses or laser vision corrective surgery
• your medical and vision insurance information if you will be using it to cover any portion of your fees

What’s the difference between a vision screening and a comprehensive eye exam?

Vision screenings are general eye tests that are meant to help identify anyone who is at risk for vision problems. Screenings include brief vision tests performed by a school nurse, pediatrician, or volunteers. As an example, the eye test you take when you renew your driver’s license is a vision screening, not an eye examination.

A vision screening can indicate that you need to get an eye exam, but things can be missed in a screening. It is not a substitute for a full eye examination.

A comprehensive eye examination performed by an eye doctor will involve careful testing of all aspects of your vision. Based upon the results of your exam, your doctor will then recommend a treatment plan to suit your individual vision needs. A comprehensive eye exam can only be performed by an eye doctor. Most family physicians and pediatricians are not fully trained to perform them. Studies have found that they can miss important vision problems that require the treatment of an eye care professional.

Treatment programs can range from corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses, to eye exercises or surgery for muscle problems, to medical treatment for eye disease, or simply that you have your eyes examined again after a specified period of time.

Having regular eye exams is vitally important for identifying common eye diseases, such as glaucoma, dry eyes, and macular degeneration. Early detection of certain eye diseases is a key component of preventing future vision loss.

Contact Lens Evaluations

We also perform annual contact lens evaluations for patients wearing or interested in wearing contact lenses. During a contact lens evaluation, contact lenses are examined to ensure they are fitting correctly, and prescription power adjustments are made when needed. We also look for signs of allergic reactions or redness caused by ill-fitting contacts, and make changes to contact lens materials and brands when necessary.

Our annual evaluations are also a great time to inform patients about the latest developments in contact lens technology and products, providing the opportunity to upgrade to potentially more comfortable and durable contact lenses. If you are happy with your current contact lenses and they are fitting well, we can simply renew your prescription for your preferred brand of contacts.

You can find more information about the contact lens products here.

For those who are new to contact lenses and have not tried them before, we have experts on staff that can train you on how to insert and remove contacts and to how to properly care for them.

We recommend annual eye exams for adults and children ages 5 and up. Patients wearing contact lenses should have a contact lens evaluation performed annually as well, which can be done at the same time as their eye exam.

Caring for your vision by having regular eye exams is important for maintaining good vision throughout your life.

Eye Exams for Diabetics

If you are diabetic, it is important to have annual dilated diabetic eye examinations. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause bleeding in the retina. This is known as diabetic retinopathy.

Retinal damage is one of the leading causes of blindness among diabetics.

The good news is that if detected early, retinopathy can be reversed.

If you are diabetic and have any of the following symptoms, do not delay. Call 512-596-5544 today for an appointment. These symptoms can indicate serious complications from diabetes:

• Your vision becomes blurry
• Difficulty reading signs or words on a document
• Double vision
• Pain in one or both of your eyes
• You experience red eyes that do not go away
• You feel a pressure in one or both of your eyes
• Spots or a “floater” appears in your vision
• Straight lines do not appear straight
• You do not have your full peripheral vision

Pediatric Eye Exams

It is recommended that your child have their first pediatric exams between the ages of 6 and 12 months. After that, your child should have their eyes examined at age 3 and again at age 5. If any health issues are detected or glasses are deemed necessary, more frequent examinations are recommended on a case-by-case basis. 512 Eye provides eyecare for children ages 7 and older. If you have a younger child that needs eyecare, we recommend the pediatric ophthalmologists at Dell Children’s medical center. 

Call 512-596-5544 or visit our online scheduling page to schedule your eye exam today.