WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR EYE TEST
Your eye examination will last for approximately 40 minutes, to allow time for your optometrist to thoroughly examine your eyes and vision. During this time, you will be asked to complete a series of tests which are all designed to assess your visual status (whether you might be long or short-sighted) and eye health. None of these are difficult or painful in any way, but are important for your optometrist to be able to accurately prescribe any eyewear, if this is necessary.
MEASURING CONVERGENCE
During a routine eye examination, near point of convergence will be measured (usually less than 10cm). Convergence is where the eye muscles pull the eyes inwards towards the nose smoothly when looking at an object close up. This normally occurs without effort and allows comfortable use of both eyes “binocular vision”.
Weakness of these eye muscles may cause problems. This is called convergence insufficiency. There are many causes of convergence insufficiency for example, increased close work, worry, recent illness, and whiplash. Sometimes the reason is simply unknown.
Typical symptoms can be headache at the front/forehead, around the eyes, eyestrain and difficulty in changing focus.
Treatment for convergence insufficiency usually involves convergence exercises that can be practised at home. Improvement is usually quite rapid if these exercises are carried out regularly.
OCT SCANS
Ocular Coherence Tomography is an advanced eye scan for people of all ages. Similar to ultrasound, OCT uses light rather than sound waves to illustrate the different layers that make up the back of the eye.
This particular 3D OCT unit captures a digital photograph of the surface of the eye at the same time and this can be cross referenced across any areas of concern.
The major benefit of this state of the art machine is that it allows your optometrist to see both the back of your eye, and a three-dimensional image to look beneath the surface of the regular retinal image.
Never before, has it been easier to find out the exact state and location of a particular eye condition. Your optometrist can review the images on a PC screen and pinpoint areas of concern by digitally peeling the layers back until they define what it is that they have identified as requiring further investigation.