EYE EXAMS

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Whether or not you currently wear glasses or contact lenses, an eye exam is an important part of proactive vision care. At Tropical Optical, our Optometrists uses the latest technology to evaluate your vision health and detect potential problems that could lead to compromised vision in the future. Eye exams are especially important for older individuals who are at increased risk for conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. These conditions require prompt care in order to prevent or lessen vision loss. Tests can include: 

• Visual field
• Refraction
• Color vision
• Tonometry (Eye pressure)
• Ophthalmoscopy (Retinal health)
• Kerataconous Lens fitting and Eye Exam
• Stereopsis

The visual field is how wide of an area each eye can see when an eye focuses on a central point. The test checks to see if you have blind spots ( missing areas) in your vision and where they are. The blind spot’s size and shape can help determine if you have certain eye diseases like glaucoma or even a brain disorder. A common way for your doctor to screen for any problems in your visual field is with a simple confrontation field test.To check for a suspected eye problem or monitor the progress of an eye disease, we will use a more specific test ( automated perimeter) to measure your field of vision. This gives more detailed results of your field of vision.  
 

Also termed vision test, the refraction test is an examination that tests an individual's ability to see an object at a specific distance. The refraction test involves looking through a device to read letters or recognize symbols on a wall chart through lenses of differing strength which are moved into and out of the device. This test is performed as part of a normal examination of the eye to determine whether an individual has normal vision. It is also used to determine the prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Around the world approximately 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are affected by colour blindness to some degree. The most well-known colour vision test is the Ishihara Test where the patient picks out a number in one colour dots surrounded by dots of a different colour. It is a fast and simple way to see if someone is struggling to see certain colours and also which ones cause the most difficulty. This test is important for certain jobs, eg. Pilot.   

Tonometry is a quick and simple test that checks the pressure inside your eyes. The results can help your doctor see if you’re at risk for glaucoma. 

Ophthalmoscopy is a test that allows our Optometrists to look at the back of your eye. This part of your eye is called the fundus, and consists the retina, the optic disc and the blood vessels that supply the eye. This test is often included in a routine eye exam to screen for eye diseases. Our Optometrist may also order it if you have a condition that affects your blood vessels, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Keratoconus is a disorder of the eye which involves the part of the eye called the Cornea. The Cornea progressively gets thinner and develops a cone shape. This leads to blurry and distorted vision. Glasses can sometimes be used to correct this condition but it is more usually corrected using specialty contact lenses. These specialty lenses are used to create a regular shaped front surface on the Cornea to alleviate distortions and to also correct blurred vision.

Stereopsis is  the visual perception of depth- or the ability to see 3-dimensionally. For this we need two eyes which see clearly separately and together. Stereo-testing is important in children to ensure that the visual system is developing normally. If a child is struggling to see 3D, then one eye may not be seeing well. We then know to look for causes which can include strabismus (lazy eye), juvenile cataract or a high prescription in one eye (amblyopia). If diagnosed early and treated ( generally before the age of 8) it is very possible to improve stereopsis.