Getting an eye test or having your eyes checked is probably the last thing you have on your mind, especially if you’ve been blessed with good vision. Regardless of your eye health or vision, it is always a good idea to regularly have your eyes looked at by your optometrist to avoid potential sight-threatening conditions later on.
Going to the dentist yearly to avoid nasty tooth decay and seeing your optometrist in Canberra will give you a deeper understanding of your eye health and detect any early changes to your vision. If these changes are detected early enough, you could avoid permanent blindness later on in life.
A routine eye test isn’t just for someone with prescription glasses or bad vision. If you don’t have any issues with your vision, a standard eye test can determine your unique risk profile for certain eye diseases. This only takes 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your circumstances.
What happens during the eye test
You might have had your vision checked when you initially applied for your driver’s licence. Or, at your GP’s surgery, when you were instructed to read off letters from an eye chart at a distance. This quick test generally takes under 1 minute, and it is to determine your level of vision.
Everyone views the world differently, whether with or without glasses; it is not uncommon for your friends to see better than you or vice versa. Think of a vision test similar to a fitness test or workout. You may be able to do only ten push-ups, but your friend can do more in one session. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in bad health – it only determines your level of fitness, just like your level of vision at that time.
During an eye test, your optometrist checks beyond your vision. Your optometrist or your eye care professional looks at your eye health. Here at Capital Eye, we use unique and specialised equipment to look at the front part of the eye and do a non-invasive routine live cross-sectional scan of your retina. Any issues noted during these tests may prompt further testing, such as looking at your vision function (or performance) or further assessing the retina using dilating eye drops.
At the end of the comprehensive eye examination, we discuss your results and their relevance to you. This may be some glasses, contact lenses or even surgical options to correct your vision or ways to look after your eyes to avoid any potential vision loss.
The Bottom Line
On average, our patients come back to have their eyes checked every two years. For an individual without any vision issues and eye health concerns, their eyes could be reviewed every 3 – 4 years. A simple 30 min – 1-hour appointment to have your eyes checked every couple of years is the best investment for your vision. If you haven’t had an eye check recently, consider making an appointment conveniently online. We look forward to welcoming to our practice soon!