5 of the Most Asked Questions at an Eye Exam

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Posted by: Missouri Eye Institute in Blog on May 24, 2022

Eye exams are vital for maintaining your visual health. They allow your eye doctor to check your eyes for any conditions that may need treatment to avoid vision changes. 

Eye exams are also a fantastic opportunity to ask any questions you may have and learn more about your eyes. Keep reading to learn five of the most asked questions at an eye exam!

1. Is My Prescription Out of Date?

Your vision can change at any time in your life for many different reasons. Hormonal changes, injuries, and aging can cause your eyesight to fluctuate. 

As these changes occur, you will need to keep up with visits with your eye doctor to maintain your quality of vision. To determine if your glasses prescription is out of date, your eye doctor will start with a simple eye chart test.

This test will allow them to get a baseline of your visual acuity. If your vision seems to have changed compared to previous visits, you may need your glasses prescription updated.

Your eye doctor will do a refraction test to provide you with an updated glasses prescription. During a refraction test, your eye doctor will present different lenses in front of your eyes and ask you which one is clearer. 

After this process, your eye doctor will be able to determine a new glasses prescription that will provide you with crisp vision once again.

2. Why Are My Eyes Dry?

There are many different causes of dry eye, and determining the root cause of dry eye is the first step in developing a treatment plan for your symptoms. In some cases, the root cause may be seasonal allergies.

In other cases, there can be an issue in producing your tears. Your eye doctor will perform tests and thoroughly examine your eyes to get more information about what may be causing your symptoms. 

You might not be producing enough tears to hydrate your eyes, or your tears might lack a specific ingredient. Lifestyle changes can also help manage dry eye symptoms and may even treat the underlying cause.  

3. Do I Have Cataracts?

Cataracts develop with age as a natural part of the aging process in the eye. Everyone will eventually develop cataracts. 

Your eye doctor can diagnose cataracts during a routine eye exam by thoroughly examining your eyes using a microscope. If you are diagnosed with cataracts, you may not need surgery right away. 

You can live for many years and not even notice a change in your vision with cataracts. Eventually, they will advance enough to interfere with your life, and you will need to have your cataracts removed to restore your vision.  

4. Am I at Risk For Vision Problems?

The only way to determine if you are at significant risk for a particular vision problem is to set up an appointment to visit your eye doctor. Your ophthalmologist will take into account various factors like your age, medical history, and family history.

Early detection is essential for preventing permanent vision damage for many eye conditions. Due to this, it is important to schedule routine eye exams with your eye doctor at Missouri Eye Institute in Springfield, Missouri.

5. How Do I Keep My Eyes Healthy? 

Keeping your eyes healthy means nourishing them and protecting them from harm. There is a lot you can do to protect your eyesight, but some of the most important things you can do include:

• Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing 100% UV-protected sunglasses
• Eating nutrients necessary for eye health, including antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin A. 
• Exercising to prevent diabetes
• Use artificial lubricating drops to keep your eyes lubricated
• Limiting screen time 

Routine eye exams are essential to maintaining eye health and preventing vision damage from untreated eye conditions. 

Do you have more questions about your eyes or vision? Schedule an appointment at Missouri Eye Institute in Springfield, MO, today!