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EYE EXAMINATIONS: At Strachan Eyecare Plus an initial examination generally takes about 30 minutes. This includes a detailed history covering your specific visual requirements, your general health, previous ocular problems and your family's ocular history.
The Optometrist will carefully inspect your eyes to assess their health, specifically looking for signs of eye disease such as glaucoma, cataract and macular degeneration, as well as systemic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, that unchecked can have devastating effects on eyes and vision.
The vision in each eye will be measured at both distance and near, and tests will be performed to determine your refractive status i.e. whether there is any significant long-sightedness (hyperopia), short-sightedness (myopia) or astigmatism, affecting focusing.
The Optometrist will also assess how easily your eyes can change and sustain focus and how well your eyes team and track together.
Measurement of intra-ocular pressure is routinely performed on all patients over the age of 40 years as a screening test for glaucoma and will be done on indication on "at risk" younger patients. This involves use of anaesthetic eye drops; these drops do NOT affect your vision, but they will cause a transient stinging, only lasting a few seconds, followed by numbness, which lasts only 10 to 15 minutes.
Following this examination recommendations appropriate to your specific needs will be discussed.
On indication, we will conduct specialist testing of visual function, such as computerized visual field testing and corneal thickness measurement ("pachymetry"), both important in detecting and monitoring glaucoma.
Computerized corneal topography is used in specialist contact lens fittings (for example, in patients with keratoconus) as well as in assessing suitability for laser refractive surgery.
Digital retinal photography is recommended as a baseline for future comparison on all patients, and is particularly valuable for ongoing monitoring of potentially progressive ocular conditions, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetes.
A Dilated Fundus Examination may be scheduled to be able to more fully examine the retina at the back of the eyes. This involves the use of mydriatic (pupil dilating) eye drops which usually causes some difficulty with glare and blur and therefore we recommend that patients do not drive or operate dangerous machinery for the next 3-4 hours. We will always pre-warn you of this so that a Dilated Fundus Examination can be scheduled at a time convenient for you.
Treatment options may include the prescribing of glasses or contact lenses, or a Vision Therapy program of eye exercises; we now have a range of computer-based Vision Therapy programs which are interesting and motivating for both children and adults. Very often advice regarding "visual hygiene" and lifestyle factors is all that is needed.
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