More than a third of Canadians say they only schedule an eye exam if they notice something wrong with their vision, according to a new survey, but experts say it’s best not to wait that long.
By the time the eye condition becomes noticeable, significant damage and vision loss may have already occurred, which is not always reversible.
“Many eye diseases don’t actually have symptoms, so we don’t know what’s going on,” says optometrist Natalia Nowakowska.
According to a study conducted by Leger for Specsavers and the Canadian Blind Association, 38 per cent of Canadian adults delay getting their regular eye exams.
“75% of vision loss is actually preventable and treatable,” Nowakowska says, explaining why regular check-ups are necessary.
“An example of glaucoma is that it starts in the periphery and causes a tunneling of peripheral vision. You don’t really notice there’s a change until your central vision is affected. And then you start losing the vision that you’ve already lost. It cannot be taken back. Therefore, it is very important for patients to come in and have an eye exam to catch these symptoms as soon as possible.”
In many states, eye exams are covered by state health insurance for people under age 19 or over 65, and for people with certain medical conditions.
Nowakowska says a comprehensive eye exam can tell you a lot about the condition of your eyes and your overall health, so if you have benefits that offer vision coverage in your personal or work life, you should definitely take advantage of them. I advise you that.
“Even if you don’t [have benefits] It’s so important to come in and get tested,” she says.
Eye exams can catch conditions like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, inflammatory diseases, and retinal tears early, but they can also reveal other health conditions.
“From a whole-body health standpoint, if you look behind your eyes, [we could see signs of] High blood pressure, signs of high cholesterol, early signs of diabetes,” Nowakowska says.
To see clearly behind the eye, doctors use optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans.
“This is a 3D scan of the back of the eye…so it takes a picture of the back of the eye and examines the retina layer by layer…it actually looks between the macula and the layers of the retina to catch conditions early.” It’s probably detectable,” she explains.
For example, high blood pressure can be detected by changes in blood vessels in the retina.
“I could see that the blood vessels were slightly undulating. In other words, the meandering of the blood vessels indicates that the blood vessels at the back of the eye are under slight stress due to fluctuations in blood pressure. I could also see some bleeding. , we were also able to see leaking blood vessels in the back of the eye,” Nowakowska said.
An eye exam also includes a vision test, which primarily checks how well you can see. Nowakowska says it’s important to note the difference between these tests and a full eye exam.
“It’s more than just checking to see if you need glasses. It’s very important to understand that an eye exam is more than just updating your prescription. In fact, it’s updating your overall picture of your general health. ” she says.
What to expect from an eye exam
When you go for an eye exam, you can expect to be asked questions about your health history, including the date you last saw your doctor and any pre-existing conditions or genetic predisposition.
Total refraction testing is performed using a machine called an autorefractor. Refractive error measurements will be provided to help determine if you need prescription glasses or if your prescription has been changed.
A basic vision test will also be performed. This test tests distance and reading by requiring you to cover one eye at a time and read a chart several feet away and a nearby card.
A dilated fundus examination (DFE) is then performed. During this test, doctors put eye drops into your eyes to dilate your pupils and take a thorough look inside your eyes.
A device called a slit lamp is then used to shine a focused beam of light into the eye, allowing the doctor to get a closer look at the eye’s structures, such as the iris, cornea, and retina.
“With dilation, you can see into the distant periphery. We’re examining things like retinal tears, retinal detachments, and tumors,” Nowakowska says.
If the facility you go to offers an OCT scan, it is usually performed before all other tests. We take pictures of the back of your eye and measure various factors such as pressure and corneal thickness.
“Cornea thickness correlates with intraocular pressure. If the cornea is thin, even if the pressure is high, it may appear a little low, so you may underestimate the pressure. [and vice versa]” says Nowakowska.
“So having that information helps us put things into perspective, because pressure is an important factor. [best indicator] In case of glaucoma. [So knowing] Knowing what the pressure is like and whether it is being underestimated or overestimated can tell you if your optic nerve is under stress. ”
Your optometrist will then explain the findings and next steps.
A complete eye exam is usually recommended every 1 to 2 years, based on findings and overall health.
