Eye Examination

Your eyesight is your most precious sense and deserves the highest standards of professional care.  Without good vision it is difficult to enjoy everyday activities, including reading, driving and watching TV.  Therefore it is essential to have your eyes examined regularly.

At Woodstock Opticians we carry out a detailed assessment of your eye health as well as ensuring your vision is the best for you.  We carry out a range of tests and because everyone's eyesight is different, we tailor the eye examination to your individual circumstances.  The following will be included in your assessment.

History and symptoms

We discuss any problems you might have with your eyesight and general health .  Many eye conditions are health related and it is important that you let us know if you are taking any medication as these may affect your vision.  To assess your visual needs, we need to discuss your work and leisure activities.

Spectacles assessment

If you already wear spectacles or contact lenses, you should bring these with you to the appointment.  We will measure the lenses to establish their type, optical power and how well you can see with them.

Refraction

This part of the examination finds out if you need an optical correction and if so which lenses give you the best vision. We measure your distance vision  (for driving or TV), your near vision (for reading) and your intermediate distance (for computer work or hobbies).  These refraction tests will reveal if you are short sighted, long sighted, presbyopic or have astigmatism.  As everyone's vision changes over time you may experience one or more of the above conditions. However all can be corrected with spectacles or contact lenses.

Oculomotor balance

It is important that both eyes work together.  This test checks that both eyes are co-ordinate and that you are have comfortable vision at all distances.

Pupil reflexes

The pupil controls the amount of light reaching the retina at the back of the eye and so affects the images seen by the brain.  An unusual pupil reflex may indicate neurological problems.

Ophthalmoscopy/ Volk lens

Using an instrument called an ophthalmoscope or a Volk lens a light is shone through the pupil into the eye. This enables us to see the internal parts of the eye clearly, such as your lens, retina, optic nerve and macula and so check for problems like diabetes, cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Vision assessment

When your eye examination is finished, we will give you an explanation of your vision and eye health plus a copy of your spectacle prescription.  We will recommend a time for your next examination based on your visual needs.

Other assessments

Intraocular pressure

This test measures the pressure inside your eyes.  Too much pressure can indicate glaucoma. The results are evaluated on conjunction with ophthalmoscopy.

Visual field test

Testing your all-round vision ensures you have a good visual field of vision.  Reduced field of vision can detect glaucoma and other neurological conditions.

Digital photography

Taking photographs of the inside of your eyes allows us to see any abnormalities easily and provides a permanent record of the condition of your eyes at a certain date.  Each time you visit us we can take photographs and compare to previous ones and any changes noted.  The earlier any problems develop the earlier they may be treated before they cause irreversible damage.