We cannot stress enough the importance of an yearly eye exam, especially if you have any systemic diseases or you are a contact lens wearer. A Comprehensive Eye Exam may take up to an hour. The ophthalmic assistant or technician will take measurements of your eyes and glasses. Upon arriving at our office, you will be given a patient form that includes background questions about your general health, allergies, what medications you may be taking and explore the reason for your visit. The doctor will then address the reason for your visit, diagnose your eye condition(s), formulate a plan of treatment and discuss it with you. Our assistants may give you additional instructions and information. The initial part of the examination will determine if glasses are needed. We then assess the muscles that move the eyes, the way that the pupils react to light and your peripheral vision. A microscope (called a slit lamp) is used to view the front surface of the eyeball and the lens inside. We measure the eye fluid pressure for glaucoma. Finally, the pupils are dilated to better observe the retina tissue and blood vessels that line the inside of the eye. Pupils are the “windows” to the back of the eyes (retina). Larger pupils provide wider views of the retina. The dilated fundus examination is a crucial part of an eye exam, as many eye diseases (i.e. diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma just to name a few) can be detected during the test. Dilating drops may blur your vision for several hours (approximately 4-6hrs) and increase light sensitivity. You will be provided with disposable sunglasses upon request to add to your comfort.