A comprehensive eye examination by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist at Eye Health Vision Center includes:

• Chief Complaint-  What brings the patient into the office today?
• Ocular History:  prior eye surgeries, diseases, eye medications
• Past Medical History
• Patient's Medical Doctor (general practitioner)
• Present illnesses/diseases (other than ocular)
• Present medications
• Past surgeries
• Allergies to medications
• Family history- ocular and blood pressure (high? low?),
• Social History- Smoke?  Alcohol use?  Drive?  Live alone, with family or in Nursing Home?  Use eye drops and who administers them?
• Vision-  Distance, Near & Color
• Worth & Stereo for depth perception and eye dominance
• Brightness Acuity Test – The “B.A.T.” test assists in determining how a cataract patient’s vision is affected by certain lighting conditions, such as experiencing glare and night driving.
• Amsler Grid – This test is performed:
• primarily on elderly patients to detect distortion or any other visual defect due to Age Related Macular Degeneration; and,
• on patients who are on certain specific medications, especially patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Pupillary reaction. 
• Assessing anterior chamber- this confirms that the eye is suitable for dilation.
• Checking for rubeosis on diabetic patients.  This is blood vessel growth that can occur on the iris (colored part of the eye) due to uncontrolled diabetes.  This needs to be detected before the eye is dilated because once the pupil dilates, if there is rubeosis, it will be hidden within the iris tissue.
• Eye pressure testing for glaucoma.
• Dilation of pupils – If a dilated exam is necessary and appropriate, the pupils will be dilated with drops prior to the eye doctor’s examination.
• Refraction – The patient’s vision is examined to determine the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses.  Preliminary measurements are taken using an instrument called an “Auto-Refractor”.  These measurements are then utilized with another instrument called a “phoropter”, which the patient looks through and responds to a series of questions, while being shown different lenses. This is how their actual eyeglass prescription is calculated. 
• The doctor will review all of the results of all of these tests and then will determine the best eyeglass or contact lens prescription for the patient. 
• The doctor will check the general hygiene and condition of the patient’s eyelids.
• In cases where necessary and appropriate, the eye doctor will  perform a gross or confrontation visual fields.
• The eye doctor will check for motility and balance. 
• The doctor will perform an examination of the anterior (front) segment of the eye by looking through an instrument called a “Slit Lamp. 
• The doctor will examine the cornea, or front part of the eye under magnification. 
• The doctor will examine the health of the conjunctiva, cornea, anterior chamber, pupils and will check the lens for signs of cataracts. 
• If the patient has an intra-ocular lens implant from previous cataract surgery, the doctor will make sure it is clear and centers properly.
• The doctor will look directly into the eye to check the optic nerve for any signs of glaucoma or other abnormalities utilizing an instrument called a “direct ophthalmoscope”. 
• If the patient’s pupils have been dilated, the doctor will use an indirect ophthalmoscope to look into the retina with a high magnification lens to perform a fundus exam.  This checks the health of the back segment of the eye, including the macula, vessels and peripheral retina.  This enables the doctor to determine if there are any diabetic changes or macular degeneration  such as retinal hemorrhages, microaneurysms, leaking blood vessels or retinal/macula edema.  The doctor will also scan the periphery for any retinal holes, tears or detachments.

To schedule your comprehensive eye examination at any of the Eye Health Vision Center offices, please call:

	Dartmouth, MA:	508-994-1400
	Fairhaven, MA:	508-994-2020
	Fall River, MA:	508-673-2020
	Taunton, MA:	508-823-5536
	Middletown, RI:	401-845-2020