Ocular Health Exams Eye exams are an important evaluation of your visual status and eye health. Texas State Optical Doctors of Optometry are on the forefront of eye care and take great pride in offering patients the opportunity to see well. TSO patients are offered a thorough eye exam that is the best indicator of your level of vision and signs of potential eye problems. Evaluation for the ocular effects of diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, cataracts, glaucoma and conditions involving the retina of the eye are just a few of the problems that can be detected. Your eyes work together with your brain to create images of the world around you - color, light, shape, and sizes. During you TSO eye exam, your doctor checks how well your eyes work alone and together, and also determines the health of your eyes by asking you questions about: Your health history Your family health history Instances of eye problems in the past Your work and lifestyle The Steps in Your Eye Exam Your eye exam will determine if any problems exist, and if necessary, what prescription is needed to properly correct your vision. Your TSO Doctor of Optometry, or another member of the TSO optical team, measures your eyes focusing power using eye charts and a refractor. Eye charts test your focusing power.  A refractor contains different lenses that are positioned in front of your eyes. It is used to calculate your prescription for glasses or contact lenses if you need them for nearsightedness ( myopia ), farsightedness ( hyperopia ) or astigmatism. After your vision is measured, your eye doctor examines the inside of your eyes, and may use eye drops to dilate or open the pupils of the eyes. A dilated eye exam allows your eye doctor to get a clearer look at how the back of your eye is functioning and helps diagnose disease and conditions that could be interfering with your vision. The front of your eye - the cornea -  is viewed through a slit lamp (a microscope) to check for problems such as infections, cataracts or glaucoma. The back of your eye - the retina - is examined with an ophthalmoscope which allows the doctor to look at the whole eye very accurately beacuse of the instruments greater magnification and intensity. Your Optometrist examines the retina to identify retinal problems or early signs of disease such as diabetes. A test for glaucoma may be performed which checks the eye's pressure.  Abnormal internal eye pressure is damaging to the retina - which may destroy peripheral vision and creat irreversible damage. A visual field test evalutes your peripheral or side vision. These tools help your TSO Doctor of Optometry diagnose glaucoma long before you notice any symptoms. As with most eye conditions, early detection and treatment through regular eye examinations can prevent vision loss. Why is an Annual Eye Exam Important? The most common vision problems are focusing problems, often called refractive errors. Fortunately, these conditions can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or Laser Vision Correction. When we begin to notice a problem with our vision, it's time for an eye exam to find out if we need a new prescription for glasses or contacts. Even when we're not experiencing problems with our vision, regular eye exams can prevent serious eye conditions that sometimes give us little or no clues at all. That's why an annual visit to your TSO Doctor of Optometry should be an important part of your health care plan. Be good to your eyes and their gift of vision -they are the windows to your world. Why Children Need Eye Exams Studies have determined that 88% of school work is visual. When you consider that one in four children ages 5 to 12 has an undiagnosed vision problem, you'll understand why educational performance is likely to be affected by poor vision. Unfortunately, children with vision problems often have no way of knowing that what they are seeing is different than what others see. It is the adults responsibility to help children reach their potential by making sure they are free of vision problems. All children should have their eyes examined at or before their fourth birthday. If there is a family history of misaligned eyes, childhood cataracts or a serious eye disease, children should have their eyes examined before age three. To help prepare a child for his or her first eye exam, parents can set an example and show their children how quick and painless it is by having their own eyes examined first, while the child watches. You can answer any of their questions and then sit with them during their exam to calm any remaining fears.