Comprehensive Eye Exams

This image features two tools used to check vision during a comprehensive eye exam. On the left is a black manual refractor. On the right there is a black pair of glasses sitting on a Visual Acuity chart.

What is a comprehensive eye exam?

Full eye exams consist of a number of tests that are administered to evaluate a patient's vision and to diagnose eye diseases. Eye exams are an important step for optimizing vision and keeping eyes healthy. Seeing an eyecare professional annually can decrease the risk of undiagnosed conditions getting worse over time.

During a typical eye exam, we will test your visual acuity and perform a refraction- both of which allow us to correct your vision. We will also check your eye pressure and dilate your eyes to allow for the best view of the back of the eye for a thorough retinal exam.

What is the difference between a typical eye exam and an eye exam with contacts?

A contact lens exam is similar to a routine glasses exam with a few additional tests. We will check your vision with the contacts, evaluate the fit to be sure the curvature of the contact matches the curvature of the eye, and we will closely monitor for issues such as inflammation, infection, irritation and hypoxia.

If it is your first time wearing contacts, or if a new contact lens technology is needed - we will start by ordering diagnostic lenses based on your eye shape and spectacle prescription. We will evaluate how the contacts fit after an insertion and removal course with our technician. In most cases, you will be scheduled for an office visit after a period of time to inspect how well the lenses are working after trialing. At that time, if all looks good, a final prescription will be given.