Comprehensive Eye Exams

If you’ve recently had a vision screening at school, a health fair, during a work physical, at your physician’s office, or as part of a driver’s license exam, you might think, “My vision is fine! I don’t need a comprehensive eye exam.”

But a vision screening provides only a limited look at your vision and it isn’t a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam.
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Think of it like having your blood pressure checked without getting the rest of your annual physical. The information can be helpful, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

What Are the Limitations of a Vision Screening?

Vision screenings only evaluate a small part of your overall vision.

Most screenings primarily test how clearly you can see at a distance, also known as visual acuity. But clear distance vision is only one part of healthy vision. A basic screening may not evaluate important areas such as color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, how well your eyes focus up close, or how effectively your eyes work together.

Most importantly, a vision screening does not provide a comprehensive evaluation of your eye health.

Vision screenings are not comprehensive eye health evaluations.

Vision screenings may be administered by school personnel, healthcare staff, or other individuals who are not eye doctors. While these screenings can help identify potential vision concerns, they do not provide the same level of evaluation as an examination performed by an optometrist.

Vision screenings use limited testing equipment.

In some cases, a screening may consist primarily of reading an eye chart from across the room. Even screenings performed in a medical setting typically do not include the specialized equipment and testing used during a comprehensive eye exam.

What Are the Benefits of a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Comprehensive eye exams evaluate your vision and overall eye health.

During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor evaluates the internal and external structures of your eyes, checks for signs of eye disease, and performs a variety of tests to understand how well your visual system is functioning.

Depending on your individual needs, your exam may include:

• External Exam – An evaluation of structures such as the whites of your eyes, iris, pupils, eyelids, and eyelashes.
• Internal Exam – An evaluation of internal eye structures, including the retina and optic nerve.
• Visual Function and Eye Health – Testing may include depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision, pupil response, focusing, eye teaming, and eye movement.
• Glaucoma Testing – Testing may be performed to evaluate eye pressure and other risk factors associated with glaucoma.
• Visual Acuity and Prescription – Your doctor will evaluate how clearly you see and determine whether glasses or contact lenses could improve your vision.

Comprehensive eye exams consider your overall health, too.

Your eyes can provide important information about your overall health. Your eye doctor may discuss your personal and family health history, medications, and conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Lifestyle factors may also be considered when evaluating your eye health and individual risk factors.

Even if you recently passed a vision screening, regular comprehensive eye exams remain an important part of caring for your eyes.

​​​​​​​Your eye doctor can recommend an exam schedule based on your age, overall health, vision needs, and individual risk factors.

​​​​​​​Schedule an appointment