Your eyes play an integral role in your day-to-day life. From driving to working and even simply entreating yourself by watching a movie or browsing the internet, these organs are in constant use up until you fall asleep. But despite the heavy burden placed on the eyes, not many people think about their condition until they begin to experience problems with their vision. Symptoms such as blurry eyesight, watery eyes, redness and so on are what would likely send you to the optometrist instead of simply scheduling an annual appointment for preventative care. Since most people are familiar with eye tests to check whether they will need prescription glasses, they tend to think that the refraction and visual acuity exams are the only tests available, but this is untrue. Keep reading for lesser-known eye exams that you may need to undergo when you visit an optometrist.

Keratometry eye exam

This eye test is essential when the optometrist wants to check the condition of your cornea, which refers to the outer curvature of your eyeball. The cornea has the critical function of both perceiving and reflecting light. Hence, if its shape has changed, so will the way that you interpret light. For instance, individuals that undergo a keratometry test and are found with an elongated cornea will be diagnosed with astigmatism and this is the likely cause of their blurred vision. For this scenario, prescription eyewear or contact lenses can help with managing the disorder. One could even opt for laser-assisted surgery to adjust the shape of their cornea.

Intraocular pressure eye exam

As the name suggests, this type of eye test is performed to determine the degree of pressure in your eye. This pressure builds up when the fluid is pushing against the eye. High amounts of fluid are referred to as ocular hypertension, and this tends to be a symptom of an underlying problem, such as the beginning of glaucoma. In this scenario, the optometrist will investigate the condition of the optic nerve to check for glaucoma-related damage. Take note, though that ocular hypertension can come about due to a range of other causes such as trauma to your eye, a blockage in the eye's drainage channels and steroidal medication as well as an overproduction of aqueous humour. You should know that ocular hypertension does not present any symptoms at the onset so check-ups with an optometrist are vital for early detection.

Contact a local optometrist to learn more.

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