Regular eye exams are crucial if you want to retain good vision and healthy eyes. Dr. Nicholas Rutkowski in Bourbonnais offers some of the best eye exams.
A comprehensive eye exam should be conducted at least once every year or two years. However, it is best to follow your doctor’s recommendation.
A lot goes on in an eye exam and your vision will be tested in a variety of ways. The following are the tests you can expect during an exam.
Vision Acuity Test
Most tests during an eye exam will be meant to test your vision. The sharpness of your vision is extremely important to your eye health.
The most common vision acuity test conducted is the Snellen chart test. It is where your eye doctor asks you to look at letters on a chart to test your long-distance vision.
There is also the Jaeger eye chart test which is meant to test short distance vision. If you struggle with one or the other, it can be determined whether you are short-sighted or farsighted.
The words on the chart typically get smaller as you go down the chart but if you have proper eyesight, you should see them all.
Cover Test
Another test you will typically find during an eye exam is the cover test or the peripheral vision test. As the name suggests, the test involves covering one of your eyes to observe a still or moving object.
An important aspect of your eyesight is how well both your eyes work together, also known as eye alignment. The better aligned your eyes, the better your vision.
The test will usually involve looking at near and far, moving and still objects with one eye closed. If you have to move an eye too much to see then your eyes may need an alignment.
Retinal Exam
Your retina is crucial for the eye to see properly. During a retinal exam, the doctor will dilate your pupils using an ophthalmoscope so as to see the state of your retina.
That way, the optician will be able to check the blood vessels in your retina and the fluid in your eyes among other things. The test will also help evaluate if your eye lens is in good working order.
Eye Movement Test
Your eyes include muscles that help them move and follow moving targets. The stronger the muscles are, the faster and better you can follow moving objects.
Therefore, your eye movement muscle test will involve you following a moving target while the doctor examines your eyesight. The doctor will test your eye movement in different directions.
The test is not only about how fast your eye muscles move but how smoothly they move. Any strain or irregular movement will restrict your vision.
Slit-lamp Exam
A slit lamp is a binocular microscope (biomicroscope) that an optician uses to examine the inner structure of your eyes. During the exam, you will be asked to place your head onto the biomicroscopy and the doctor will examine your eye in great detail.
Illinois patients know Nicholas Rutkowski, OD, as an honest, caring, and understanding optometrist who always puts their needs first. In his role as the founder and lead optometrist at Nicholas Rutkowski, O.D. and Associates, Dr. Rutkowski offers superior vision and eye care to patients at two locations in Frankfort and Bourbonnais, Illinois. Some of the many services Dr. Rutkowski offers include eye exams, glasses, contacts, dry eye treatment, and red eye treatment.
Many conditions can be spotted with the biomicroscope hence it is one of the most conclusive eye tests.
