A "Full Eye Exam"

Note: So, why do we put those drops in your eyes? A full eye exam DOES include dilated examination of the eye (for anyone over 18, and every 3-4 years in general).

When you come to my office, this is what we'll do:

• enter you into our computer
• preliminary auto-testing
• visual acuities
• assessment of binocular coordination
• determination of your refraction (glasses Rx)
• discussion of refractive surgery if desired
• assessment of eye health
• prepare a summary take-home report

So far in Ontario, OHIP covers the cost of a full eye exam and one partial assessment per person per year. OHIP does NOT cover contact lens exams anymore, or full eye exams that are required by a third party such as your employer or for certifications. For a more complete descriptions of what OHIP does cover, click here:

FRONT DESK

In order for you to have your eye exam fee covered by OHIP, you must BRING WITH YOU your valid ONTARIO HEALTH CARD. This is red and white and has a 10 digit number embossed on the front. Out of province patients and Ontarians without a valid heath card willl be charged $40 for a full eye exam. We will ask you the usual bookeeping questions such as name & address etc., and you will be added to our database of more than 20,000 patients.

Using the computer, we can speedily pull up your file, the files of your family members, billing history, prescription orders and so on. We also use the computer to compile prctice management data so we can become more efficient at providing services that you the public want.

• AUTO-TESTING

  One of my staff members will guide you through our preliminary tests. Your present glasses will be analyzed, so we know what you are used to wearing. We will use an autorefractor to get a quick idea of what your current Rx is, and we will use a non-contact tonomtere to measure the pressures in your eyes. This is one of the ways we can test for glaucoma. In certain cases, we will also do a computerised test of your side vision (automated perimetry) as well.
  

• VISUAL ACUITIES

  This is a measure of how well you can see. Most people consider 20/20 to be "perfect eyesight" and 20/200 to be legally blind. What these ratios mean is that for a person with 20/200 vision, what they can see at 20 feet away, a person with 20/20 could see from 200 feet away! Most people under 60 with the right glasses and in the absence of ocular disease can be corrected to 20/20 (or 6/6 for the metric crowd: as these are ratios and therefore unitless, I am resisting the urge to convert feet to meters!)
  

• BINOCULAR COORDINATION

  This is essentially a measure of how well they two eyes work together. This can be especially important in examination of young children who are just starting school. Anytime after age 3 is fine for eye exams, and I definitely like to see kids by age 5 before school starts. There are some conditions you MUST catch before 6-7 years of age, like lazy eye, otherwise there is not much you can do about it later on. We can measure depth perseption, tracking, pursuits, saccades, focussing ability and other things.
  

• REFRACTION

  This just means determination of your glasses prescription, or what power you need to see the best you can see. We use our autorefractor result from the preliminary testing as a starting point, and refine this in the traditional method of flipping lenses (you know the drill - "which is better, one or two?"). From this we can find contact lens Rx's. There are esentially four types of refractive states of the eye: MYOPIA (NEARSIGHTEDNESS), HYPEROPIA (FARSIGHTEDNESS), ASTIGMATISM, and PRESBYOPIA (BIFOCALS). So what does that mean? Well, please look at the refraction page.
  

• EYE HEALTH:

  This is one of the most important parts of the full eye exam. Inside the eye is the only spot you can actually see your blood vessels and circulation (in it's undisturbed state) in the body. This is why the family physician looks into the eyes at your routine physicals. Some conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, glaucoma, and high cholesterol can SHOW UP FIRST in the eyes. This is why people should have a full eye exam yearly. In our office, we do dilated fundus exams on all first time patients over 18 years old, and on a regular basis thereafter..
  

• TAKE HOME REPORT:

  As a courtesy to my patients, I provide everyone with a detailed synopsis of the condition of their eyes, their glasses prescription copy, contact lens or refractive surgery info if necessary, any planned future tests, and the date of their next normal exam.