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Northern Virginia Doctors of Optometry
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Eye Exam 101: What Happens During One?

  • September 14, 2017
  • Dr. Christina Giles

Having a comprehensive eye exam regularly is an important part of a reliable and solid eye care plan. While this offers many benefits for maintaining your eye health, we understand that you may be nervous about going to an eye clinic and having your eyes assessed. To reduce your anxiety, let Northern Virginia Doctors of Optometry discuss what happens during an eye exam.

Taking of Your Family and Personal History

To make the most of your time, we advise printing and filling out our patient forms, especially if you’re new, before coming in for your clinic visit. This ensures a smooth and uninterrupted consultation. Rest assured we’ll observe necessary privacy and HIPAA guidelines to maintain the confidentiality of your details.

Your reliable optometrist may verify some information about your personal and family history. Since heredity is a major risk factor for most eye diseases, this is an important step to establishing your risk of acquiring some of them. The collated data will also serve as our guide in creating an appropriate eye care plan.

Performing Applicable Eye Tests and Procedures

We may then perform some tests to assess your current eye health. We use only the latest ocular instruments for an accurate diagnosis. Our optomap imaging procedure, for example, uses advanced technologies to take high-resolution pictures of your retina, making disease detection easier and quicker. This way, we can render prompt and necessary treatment, giving us better chances of preserving your visual health.

Explaining the Findings and Our Suggestions

Afterward, we’ll discuss your test results and our recommended management. We believe that a complete and good understanding of your eye condition is essential to maintaining your eyesight. If we detect refractive errors, for example, we’ll explain how wearing prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses can give you better visual acuity. We’ll also take the time to answer all questions you may have. We’ll remind you of your next checkup schedule as well, which is usually at least once every two years, to ensure continuity of care.

If you have any further questions on what happens during an eye exam, call us at (703) 660-9494 for Alexandria, (703) 413-1400 for Crystal City, (703) 573-1200 for Falls Church, and (703) 467-9080 for Reston. You may also fill out our form to request an appointment. We serve Crystal City and nearby VA areas.

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