205-556-2121
205-831-8370Comprehensive Eye Exams in Tuscaloosa, AL
Schedule Your Comprehensive Eye Exam at Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology in Tuscaloosa
When the eyes are healthy, so is your overall health. At Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology, we go the extra mile to protect and care for your eyes.
Comprehensive eye exams are very important, not only to determine your need for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but also to maintain the health of your eyes.
Why Are Complete Eye Exams Important?
Vision and eye health changes can occur without you noticing. The earlier an eye problem is detected and treated, the more likely treatment will result in a successful outcome.
During a complete eye exam, eye diseases or other abnormalities that are not yet causing symptoms can be detected. We can seamlessly connect you with specialists for continuing care.
In addition to complete eye exams, our practice offers a wide range of services and specialties to help maintain or improve your vision and eye health.
Schedule a complete exam online now or call 205-556-2121 to schedule your appointment with Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology today.
What is Included in a Complete Eye Exam?
A complete eye exam includes a thorough examination of your eyes and determines the strength of your eyeglass or contact lens prescription, if needed. We’ll check your vision with visual acuity testing, measure the pressure of your eye, examine your retinal health and more.
A regular eye exam is essential for everyone. Serious medical conditions, such as cancer, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure can be detected through an eye exam, allowing patients to seek treatment early.
Optomap® Retinal Imaging
Your eyes are a window to your health. Our practice proudly offers a quick and comfortable optional test that enables an enhanced view of your retina to help protect your sight and identify potential eye or general health issues.
An Optomap® is a detailed digital image of the retina produced by Optos® scanning laser technology. This imaging enables you and your eye doctor to see your retina in rich detail and can be saved to use for future comparisons to monitor the health of your retina.
Who Should Have an Eye Exam?
Everyone should have routine eye exams. The Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that routine eye exams are essential, even if your eyes and vision seem fine. From childhood vision screenings to your senior years, it’s important to detect eye diseases early. Early treatment can help preserve your vision.
Based on your individual needs, your optometrist or ophthalmologist will advise you on how often an eye exam is needed. If you have an infection, injury, or eye pain, or you notice sudden floaters, flashes, or patterns of light, see an eye doctor immediately. Also, schedule an eye exam now if you have an eye disease or risk factors such as:
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Family history of eye disease
Vision Correction Services at Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology
With a complete eye exam, your doctor can provide a prescription if you need vision correction. There are three main options to enhance vision: eyeglasses, contact lenses, and LASIK.
Eyeglasses
At Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology, our friendly, knowledgeable opticians will help you find the perfect eyeglass frames for your personality, lifestyle and budget.
Contacts
If you are interested in contact lenses, an additional contact lens exam can be scheduled with your complete eye exam to determine the best lenses for your unique eyes.
LASIK Surgery
The LASIK procedure is often an option to reduce or possibly eliminate your dependence on glasses or contacts. Schedule a free consultation to determine if you are a candidate. LASIK procedures are not the same everywhere, so trust your eyes to Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Comprehensive Eye Exams
Most vision insurance plans cover routine eye exams, including a refraction, which is the test done by your eye doctor to provide your eyeglass or contact lens prescription.
Most medical insurance plans cover medical eye exams relating to any eye health issues. This may include treatments for eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration. A refraction — the test done by your eye doctor to determine if corrective lenses will help you see better — is usually considered a non-covered benefit under medical insurance. Patients will pay separately for a refraction, when needed.
Dilation is an important part of a complete eye exam. Dilation causes your pupils to widen and allows your eye care provider to better view the retina at the back of your eye. This allows for a more complete diagnosis of the eye, including the presence of any diseases or conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, or glaucoma.
Eye dilation can make your vision blurry and more sensitive to light. You may want someone to drive you home after a dilated eye exam. It can take between four to six hours for your pupils to return to their normal size.
The standard definition of “normal” visual acuity is 20/20, which simply means that what you see at 20 feet is the same as what a person of “normal” vision would see at 20 feet. If you see at 20 feet what a person with “normal” vision would see at 40 feet, for example, then your visual acuity would be 20/40.
Optomap Retinal imaging takes a digital picture of the retina, the layer of tissue in the back of your eye that sends images to your brain. Having an Optomap image is fast and painless. Nothing touches your eye at any time. You simply look into the device one eye at a time, and you see a flash of light to let you know the image of your retina has been taken. The image capture takes less than a half-second and you can immediately see a picture of your retina while your eye care provider reviews the results.
The benefits of having an Optomap ultra-widefield retinal image taken are early protection from vision impairment or blindness, early detection of life-threatening diseases like cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease, and early detection of signs of retinal disease. Early detection means successful treatments can be administered and reduces the risk to your sight and health.
Contact Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology Today
Looking for a complete eye exam in or around Tuscaloosa, AL? Schedule an appointment with Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology today!