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Changing Eye Exam Technologies: Why a Trip to the Optometrist Is Still in Your Best Interest

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Technology in all areas of healthcare has been developing and changing at unprecedented rates in recent years. While many of these advances in technology are to the benefit of both the care providers and their patients, some of those advances may be misused or otherwise problematic if patients do not fully understand them. The use of telemedicine and online medicine, for example, has become quite prevalent. And while there are many potential benefits to these programs, in terms of eye exams and eye and vision care, the risks may far outweigh those benefits.

Get to know more about some of the changes that have come about in eye exam and eye care technology so that you can better determine if and when you should put these options to use in your vision care plan and when you should schedule an appointment with an optometrist. 

Online Eye Exams and Their Benefits

One of the many changes in eye care in recent years is the creation and popularization of online eye exams. Essentially, these exams are designed to help people experiencing vision trouble forego the trip to the eye doctor and the time that it takes to get there, have all of the professional assessments done, and get their results. 

Online eye exams allow patients to test their vision and then order corrective lenses (either in the form of eyeglasses or contact lenses) online in one quick and easy process. This is certainly designed with patient convenience in mind and can save people time and money that they may not have to spare on a trip to the eye doctor. For people without vision or medical insurance, this can be the difference between any type of eye care and no eye care at all. 

The Major Drawbacks of Online Eye Exams and Telemedicine

There are numerous subtle nuances to eye health that an online test may not be able to detect. While it can determine how good or poor a person's eyesight is, an online eye exam cannot detect the underlying causes of vision disturbances. Vision problems can be caused by many issues including diabetes, heart disease, brain tumors or other types of cancer, glaucoma, and cataracts (among many other eye and medical conditions). These conditions cannot be detected by a simple online vision test. 

Most companies that provide online tests try to weed out people with histories of certain vision or medical conditions as well as people exceeding their age requirement. However, because patients enter their own information into the system, this cannot be fully controlled or monitored. Getting corrective lenses when the issue with vision is a much larger health condition can cost more money in the long run and jeopardize a patient's health. 

The same can be said of telemedicine for vision care. This technology involves calling or online chatting with an eye doctor (or general physician) about the potential causes of symptoms and often results in prescriptions and diagnoses being provided. However, without an in-person examination, certain conditions and issues can be missed. There is no way to test for glaucoma, macular degeneration, or cataracts online. All of these conditions are degenerative and require care and monitoring by an optometrist and ophthalmologist. 

Now that you know the benefits and the drawbacks of some of the biggest changes to eye exam technologies in recent years, you can better understand why regular trips to the optometrist are still in your best interest. Talk to an optometrist's office like Sheinkopf And Tomasik Eye Associate for more information.


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