If you've never seen an eye doctor before, there's a lot of new things you'll be experiencing. Eye doctors use specialized equipment and technology to examine every facet of your eye to ensure that your vision is healthy. One of these tests examines the pressure in your eyes. Here's what you can expect from your first eye pressure test.
Why It's Performed
Eye pressure is a very important component of your eyes. If there's too much pressure, it can be bad for you, while too little can also be dangerous. A normal reading of pressure is necessary for blood to easily flow in and out of your eyes. If pressure is too high, circulation can be cut off, and if it's too low, there may not be enough blood moving quickly enough in and out of the eyes to maintain vision health. This is why eye doctors perform this test during every regular eye examination.
Prep
The first thing that will happen is that your eye doctor or their assistant will administer some eyedrops into both of your eyes. They may feel a bit odd; this is because they're eyedrops that are intended to numb your eyes. This keeps the test from being unpleasant.
Once the eyedrops are in, your doctor will give you a tissue, and you'll take a moment to allow the eye drops to take effect. You may start to feel some sensations on your eyelids or eyes that are unusual. Let your doctor know what you're feeling, but in most cases, this is just the numbness taking effect.
Testing Method One
The first method of testing uses a separate tool that looks like a pen. This small device has a very sensitive tip and is tapped repeatedly against the surface of each eye to take an average reading of the pressure of your eyes. During the test, you will need to hold your eyes open and as still as possible. Blinking typically means that the doctor will have to restart the test, so take a deep breath and look ahead in one direction while it's being done.
Testing Method Two
If your eye doctor doesn't use a pen-like tool, chances are they'll check your eye pressure while you're having your eyes examined.
You will sit down behind a large contraption called a tonometer and set your chin down on a rest. Your eye doctor will adjust the rig from their side, moving the equipment closer to your face. Then, you'll be asked to keep your eyes open while they perform the pressure test.
Unlike the pen tool, this test uses pressurized air to check the pressure in your eyes. It's painless, but they'll still usually numb your eyes first to make it easier for you.
That's it! If your eye pressure reading is normal, then you won't need to worry about it for an entire year until your next exam. Keep in mind that this is only one facet of an eye exam, and your eye doctor will also be considering the health of your blood vessels and tissues of the eye. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to speak up during your next appointment.
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Share28 August 2018
Hello, my name is Martin. Welcome to my site about optometry. I want to use this website to talk about all of the tools and techniques used to measure vision and eye health. Optometrists can accurately measure the patient's ability to see by simply performing a series of unique tests. The visions tests require the patient's participation to find the right prescription for corrective lenses. The rest of the exam is performed to check the health of the eye from the surface to the retina. I invite you to follow along and learn all you can about this interesting subject. Thanks for visiting.
