What Optometrists Check During Eye Exams: A Guide

Optometrists perform various tests during an eye exam to check the health of your eyes. However, do you know what they actually check during these eye exams? This article provides an overview of the different things that optometrists typically look for when examining your eyes.

Your Visual Acuity

A visual acuity test measures how clearly you see at various distances. For this test, you'll sit in front of an eye chart and read the letters aloud, one line at a time.

Your optometrist will provide the accuracy of your vision in a fraction. For example, 20/20 vision means you can read at 20 feet what you should actually read at those 20 feet. But if your optometrist says you have 20/40 vision, it means that at only 20 feet, you can read what someone with normal vision can read at a 40-foot distance.

Based on your responses to the visual acuity test, your optometrist may be able to determine whether you have vision problems and, if so, how severe they are. If you have trouble reading the letters on the eye chart, you may need corrective lenses or a change in your current prescription. In some cases, optometrists may also recommend vision therapy to help improve your eyesight.

Your Eye Movement and Coordination

When you go in for an eye exam, your optometrist will not only check your vision but also assess your eye movement and coordination. That's because these skills are essential for clear vision.

To check your eye movement, the optometrist will ask you to follow a moving object with your eyes. They will also check your peripheral vision to ensure that you see objects clearly at the sides of your field of vision.

When your optometrist checks your eye movement, they look for any abnormalities in the way your eyes move from one point to another. If there's a problem with the muscles that control your eye movement, it could be a sign of a neurological condition.

Coordination between the two eyes is also important for normal vision. If the muscles that control your eyes are not working together correctly, it can cause problems with depth perception and 3D vision. 

To check for eye coordination, the optometrist will ask you to cover one eye and look at an object. Then, they will ask you to cover the other eye and see if the object has moved. If the optometrist notices a problem with your eye coordination, they may prescribe prism lenses to help correct the issue.