There are three areas an optician focuses on, which are the outer eye, the inner eye and your visual acuity (or vision).
Outer Eye
Made up of your eyelid, cornea, mucus covering the eyeball, tear glands and eye muscles, your outer eye is tested by a bright light being shone through an open eye to see how each element reacts to the light.
Inner Eye
The inner eye comprises your lens, retina and the eye wall. An ophthalmoscope beams out light which lights up the back of your eye, which allows the optician to check how healthy your eye is. In order to see more of the eye, you will be asked to move your eye up and down, left and right.
Visual Acuity
This test consists of reading a series of letters and numbers on a chart on the wall of the optician practice whilst switching between various lenses in each eye. You will be asked to recite how clearly you see the letters and numbers and if you can read each better in red or green.
As we get older, developing conditions such as glaucoma become more likely so a test called Tonometry may be carried out at your optician practice. For this test, a puff of air is aimed at your eye which is usually not painful for the patient.
Based on how well you can read each letter and number how you respond to the red and green lenses and your general eye health, your optician may suggest a prescription for you.
Our eyes are sensitive and important organs. If you are ever unsure about your eye health, or just want some advice, visit your optician for an expert opinion. There is a wide range of glasses available to suit everyone and they don’t have to cost the earth.
Modern day business has lead to many people spending anything up to 10 hours a day in front of a screen, which can strain our eyes and cause headaches and sensitivity to the light emitted from our screens. Glasses for screen use are common and help reduce strain in our eye muscles.