Our eyesight is one of the many ways we can explore the beautiful world around us, yet our eyes do so much more than help us see clearly.
Like other areas of our health, our eyes are susceptible to developing conditions capable of adversely affecting our vision. Although not all eye exams are created equal, they go beyond updating a vision prescription.
The time you spend at your eye exam appointment varies based on the purpose of the visit, age, medical and family history, and vision-related concerns. From standard routine eye exams to specialized tests like glaucoma screenings, these visits can take 30 to 75 minutes from start to finish.
These routine check-ups can catch potential concerns long before they adversely affect your daily life. Scheduling regular eye exams is a proactive way to protect your eye health for years to come.
Comprehensive Eye Exams
The most common appointment patients schedule is a comprehensive eye exam, which can be thought of as a routine physical exam for your eyes.
During this exam, your optometrist will assess your vision and determine if you need corrective lenses or an updated prescription. They’ll also examine your eye’s overall health by checking for early signs of conditions like cataracts or macular degeneration.
From preliminary testing to your final vision prescription, this visit can take around 30 minutes. But this depends on your age and whether you’re experiencing any specific vision concerns.
For example, children’s eye exams might take longer than expected because younger patients require extra time for a thorough evaluation. At the same time, seniors are at higher risk for developing age-related eye conditions, lengthening their appointments.
Regardless of age or health status, everyone benefits from a routine exam, but here’s a general rule for how often you should schedule an eye exam based on age:
- Children: Children’s eyes are still growing and developing which is why annual exams are recommended to monitor their eye development and catch any concerns early for timely management. Children can have their first exam as young as 6 months old!
- Adults (20 to 64): Healthy adults can get by with an eye exam once every two years. However, those with vision corrections or specific health conditions may need more frequent visits.
- Seniors (65+): Older adults should have annual check-ups to stay ahead of age-related eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration.
Contact Lens Exams
Contact lens wearers are familiar with the extra care and attention needed for proper lens maintenance. Therefore, a contact lens exam goes beyond what’s conducted during a standard exam.
Besides a finalized prescription for glasses and contacts, this annual exam includes a contact lens fitting, its associated measurements, and trial lenses. If you’re a first-time wearer, this visit also includes contact lens training, where we teach you how to insert, remove, and safely care for your lenses.
Because contact lenses sit directly on the eye’s surface, annual exams and fittings are necessary to receive a finalized contact lens prescription used to order a supply of lenses.
A contact lens exam can take 45 to 60 minutes. The added time includes further testing, a contact lens fitting, and trial lenses, and worth every minute to keep your eyes feeling comfortable and healthy while wearing your lenses.
A Diabetic Eye Exam
General health conditions like diabetes can affect other areas of the body, including the eyes, which is why people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should have an annual diabetic eye exam.
A diabetic eye exam is a specialized exam that focuses on detecting any diabetes-related changes in the eyes. This includes concerns like diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, glaucoma, or cataracts, which can develop silently, often without noticeable symptoms. This exam aims to detect these potential concerns early, encouraging timely management to preserve vision and eye health.
During a diabetic eye exam, your doctor will perform several assessments to evaluate your eye health. This typically includes a dilated eye exam, where we use special drops to widen your pupils, allowing the doctor to examine the eye’s internal structures, like the retina and optic nerve, more thoroughly.
Imaging tests, such as OCT (optical coherence tomography) and fundus photography, help capture detailed images of the back of the eye. This allows your doctor to identify any structural changes in the eye by comparing previous imaging tests.
Since a diabetic eye exam usually requires an eye dilation, this visit can take around 60 minutes. Most of this time is spent waiting for the specialized drops to widen your pupils, which takes around 20 minutes.
The process is thorough but well worth it, helping to detect any diabetes-related vision problems.
Glaucoma Testing
Similar to a diabetic eye exam, glaucoma testing is designed to detect signs of glaucoma, which affects the optic nerve and can cause vision loss if left unmanaged. In its early stages, glaucoma can manifest without any symptoms until the condition progresses.
Glaucoma testing includes the same diagnostic testing and tools used during a diabetic eye exam, such as eye dilation and imaging tests. What sets glaucoma apart is the focus on detecting changes in the optic and monitoring your peripheral vision with a visual field test.
When we factor in this additional test, a glaucoma screening can take a little over 60 minutes.
Take the Steps to Protect Your Eye Health
Whether your eye exam is 30 minutes or just over an hour, sitting in the exam chair is time well spent. Each test gives your eye doctor valuable information they need to verify you continue enjoying clear, healthy vision. Connect with our team at The Eye Studio by Kennedy Eye Clinic to schedule your eye exam appointment.
