Why Eye Exams Matter When Your Prescription Hasn’t Changed

If you can still read the small print on a menu and see street signs clearly on your drive home, it’s fair to wonder what you’d gain from another eye exam. At See-N-Focus Optical in Houston, we check whether your glasses still give you clear vision. We also look for changes in your eyes that you might never notice through those lenses.

What the Eye Chart Can Miss

When we ask which lens looks clearer, your answers help us find the prescription that brings letters into focus. Even a perfect score on the eye chart, though, tells us little about your side vision. Glaucoma can damage the optic nerve and gradually narrow your field of vision while the letters straight ahead still look sharp.

Diabetes can also affect vision in ways that are hard to spot at home. Small blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, can begin to leak before you notice any blur. Dilating your pupils gives us a wider view of the retina so we can look for those early changes.

What We Check During a Comprehensive Eye Exam

What you tell us helps guide the exam. If headlights have started to bother you on your evening commute, for example, mention it even if you can still read road signs. Depending on your symptoms and health history, we may take the following steps.

• Examine the lens inside each eye for clouding that could explain new glare.

• Check your eyelids and tear film if your eyes burn or your vision briefly clears when you blink.

• Measure eye pressure and examine the optic nerve for signs that you may need further glaucoma testing.

Why It Helps to Have a Record

At your first visit, we record what’s typical for your eyes. At later visits, we can compare findings side by side. If one optic nerve looks different from the way it did at your last exam, for instance, that change may prompt us to test your side vision even if your glasses prescription stays the same.

How soon we recommend seeing you again depends on your age, health history, and exam findings. Let us know if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or if a parent or sibling has glaucoma. Either detail can affect when we’d like you to come back.

If your glasses still work well but you can’t remember your last eye health check, call See-N-Focus Optical in Houston, TX, at (713) 941-7190 to schedule your comprehensive eye exam.