Available by referral from your Primary Care Provider
The Optometry Clinic is offering services to Ravenswood patients of all ages with a referral from their Primary Care Provider. Annual comprehensive eye exams by an optometrist are necessary to detect vision problems and prevent vision loss. Even those who do not have any vision problems or symptoms need a comprehensive eye exam to detect eye diseases and serious health conditions, such as diabetes.
Comprehensive Eye Exams
The American Optometric Association recommends adults ages 18-25 should have an exam annually while their eyes are still developing. Adults 26-64 without any ocular complications should have an exam every 2 years. It is recommended for adults 65 and older to have an exam annually. Patients of any age with systemic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, should schedule an exam with one of our optometrists annually.
The American Optometric Association recommends children to have their first eye exam at 6 months old, second exam at 3 years old, third exam before kindergarten, then annually after that. If risk factors are detected, the eye doctor may recommend more frequent eye exams. Oftentimes, children do not know if they are having vision or eye problems because they do not even know what they are. Our optometrists can perform an exam to identify any eye condition even if your child cannot read yet or unable to verbalize. If your child is struggling in school, it may be due to a vision problem and it is a good idea to schedule an appointment for an exam.
Our optometrists are trained to diagnose, manage, and treat various acute and chronic eye conditions including but not limited to: Red eyes, Itchy eyes, Styes, Foreign body removal, Dry eyes, Macular degeneration, Cataracts, Diabetic retinopathy, and Glaucoma.
The exam typically takes 30 minutes to 1 hour, it may be longer if additional testing is required. During your visit, your eyes will be dilated. This means eye drops will be placed in your eyes to make the pupil wider so the doctor can evaluate the back of the eye. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to achieve full pupil dilation and lasts 4-6 hours. During this time, you will have difficulty seeing things close up. Disposable dark sunglasses will be provided to you after the exam to protect your eyes from the sun while you are dilated. Most patients tolerate pupil dilation well and are able to drive themselves home. However, if you are uncomfortable driving dilated, please bring a driver to assist you. During your exam, you will be provided a prescription for glasses unless your vision is unstable because of a medical condition. Please note we do not provide exams for contact lenses nor do we have an optical shop for you to purchase glasses.
