Why you should always want eye dilation or retinal imaging every year during your eye exam

Checking the health of your eyes is important

Most patients come to the eye doctor every year, only looking to get a prescription so they can purchase new glasses or contact lenses.

During a routine eye exam, your optometrist gives you a vision test (also called a refraction test) that helps him or her determine the right prescription power for you to see optimally.

However, if you care about your health, a refraction test is not enough. You should always want the doctor to check the health of the back of your eye.

Getting a comprehensive eye exam (vs a routine eye exam) means the doctor takes extra time to examine the back of your eye either through pupil dilation or retinal imaging to catch, prevent or treat eye conditions that could potentially lead to vision loss.

The only way for your eye doctor to examine your optic nerve and retina is by performing eye dilation or retinal imaging. Not checking the back of your eye would be similar to you getting your annual physical and having your primary care physician NOT order blood work done.

Wouldn’t you want to know if you were developing macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinal tear/detachment or ocular tumor, just to name a few…?

You don’t know what you don’t know and your doctor can’t know what he can’t see. So always ask for a comprehensive eye exam with dilation or retinal imaging when you visit your eye doctor every year.

Your vision health is worth it!

To understand how an optomap® retinal scan helps our doctor review the health of your eye, watch the video below: