Eye Exams in Knoxville

Comprehensive eye exams are integral to your overall health. According to the CDC, “An estimated 93 million adults in the United States are at high risk for serious vision loss, but only half visited an eye doctor in the past 12 months.” The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends that adults aged 18 to 60 should get their eyes examined at least every two years. Adults aged 61 and older and any adult wearing glasses or contact lenses should see their eye doctor every year or as recommended by their eye doctor. Children should have their eyes examined at 6 months old, three years old, at the start of school, and every two years until age 18.

What should I expect from my eye exam?
Comprehensive eye exams go even further than just checking your vision– they are doing a thorough examination of your overall eye health. To do this, our staff and doctors will do a series of eye tests (but don’t worry, we won’t be puffing any air into your eyes!). These tests can include the following:

• Visual acuity tests to measure the sharpness of your vision, typically done with an eye chart.
• Visual field screenings that will check for any potential blind spots in your vision.
• Retinoscopy to test for the refractive error of the eye (farsighted, nearsighted, astigmatism) and the need for glasses.
• Refraction to get the exact measurement for a prescription needed for your glasses or contacts.
• Slit lamp exam to help look for common conditions or diseases such as: macular degeneration, detached retina, cataracts, injury to the cornea, or blockages of the retinal vessel
• Tonometry test to measure the pressure of the eye and check for glaucoma.
• Retinal photo screenings to test for diabetic retinopathy.
• Ophthalmoscopy test, where the doctor examines the back part of the eye (fundus), which includes the retina, optic disc, choroid, and blood vessels.