Most of us are guilty of taking our eyesight for granted. We use our vision virtually all of our waking hours, using it to help us with everything from our most basic functions such as walking and to complex tasks like driving. Studies have found that our eyesight is our strongest and most relied-on on all of our senses. Unfortunately, our eyes are also very delicate and can be easily damaged or affected. Monitoring the health of our eyes as well as our vision is crucial if they are to remain healthy and functioning optimally. Regular, comprehensive eye exams are the most effective method for your eye doctor to monitor the health and condition of your eyes so that any potential problems can be detected, diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

We understand just how important your vision and eye health is to you, and our comprehensive eye exams, performed at our Houston, TX offices, will ensure that your most important sense receives the very best care and attention.

The Importance Of Eye Exams

Most people tend to think of an eye exam as being carried out purely to assess the quality of your vision. However, this is far from all that happens. There are a variety of other crucially important reasons why it is absolutely essential that you attend your comprehensive eye exam appointments. Your eye exam…

• will be used to assess and monitor the health of your eyes

• can enable us to detect and diagnose serious eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration, all of which can lead to blindness if they are not treated promptly

• will determine if you have a refractive eye error and need prescription lenses to see clearly

• will enable our optometrists to see if your prescription requirements have changed since your previous visit

• can flag up symptoms such as headaches, dry eye syndrome, visual fatigue and more, and enable us to recommend a suitable solution

• will enable you to enjoy the better quality vision and therefore, a better quality of life

If you have a child, eye exams are equally as important for them as for yourself. This is because as much as 80% of learning accessed through education is visual. Poor vision, which is often not detected or manifests as a learning disability instead, can compromise your child’s ability to learn, make progress and achieve his full potential.

What To Expect From Your Comprehensive Eye Exam

A comprehensive eye exam has a number of different elements to ensure that every aspect of your eye health and vision is assessed. Exactly what you can expect may vary a little depending on your individual needs. For example, only patients who are interested in wearing contact lenses will receive a contact lens exam. Some of the most common elements of an eye exam include:

• A discussion of your medical and visual history. This will include asking if close blood relatives have had eye problems, how you feel your current vision is and if you have any concerns.

• Preliminary testing to assess for signs of eye health issues such as macular degeneration, cataracts or glaucoma. Our optometry team will evaluate your depth perception, eye movements, color vision, peripheral vision and how well your pupils respond to light.

• Visual acuity testing. This is the part of an eye exam most people are familiar with and looks at how well you can see at different distances. If you are found to need prescription lenses to enable you to see clearly, you will be given refraction testing. This enables us to decide on the power of the lenses that you will need to give you the clearest vision.

If the results of your tests suggest that you may have or be at risk of developing a condition that could affect your eyesight or general health, you may be asked to attend further comprehensive assessments so that we can do further investigation. If there is an issue, we can then make a fast, accurate diagnosis and recommend the best treatment to resolve your problem and help you to maintain healthy eyes and clear vision.

Comprehensive eye exams are the most effective way to protect the long-term health of your eyes and your eyesight. Don’t put your vision at risk. Schedule an eye exam with De'Cordova Eyewear in Houston, TX today by calling 346-570-5366.