If you ever read a summary of a comprehensive exam, you may get a little confused by all the technical vision terms. To try to make it more easy to understand, I have listed a below a brief explanation of the testing done during a comprehensive eye and vision exam.

This does not cover every single test, but the majority of them. Because each patient is different, each exam uses different tests. You may find a Glossary of Vision Terms helpful, as well.

• MEDICAL HISTORY: Questions about past and current medical problems.
• VISUAL HISTORY: Questions about past and current vision problems.
• VISUAL ACUITY: Sharpness or clearness of eyesight at a specific distance.
• KERATOMETRY: Measures the shape of the front part of the eye (the cornea) where light enters.
• EXTRA OCULAR MUSCLES: Measures how accurately the eyes move while following an object and looking back and forth between targets.
• COVER TEST (NEAR): Measures the amount that the eyes are misaligned while looking at near.
• COVER TEST (DIST): Measures the amount that the eyes are misaligned while looking at distance.
• NEAR POINT CONVERGENCE: Measures the ability to converge – the eyes turning towards each other when looking at an object up close.
• STEREOPSIS: Measures the ability of the eyes to work together to see fine detail with depth perception “3D”.
• NEAR POINT ACCOMMODATION: Measures how close each eye is able to see clearly.
• PHORIA (NEAR): Measures the amount that the eyes are misaligned while looking at near.
• PHORIA (DISTANCE): Measures the amount that the eyes are misaligned while looking at distance.
• NEAR VERGENCE (BI): Measures the ability to converge – the eyes turning towards each other when looking at an object up close.
• NEAR VERGENCE (BO): Measures the ability to diverge – the eyes turning outwards at an object.
• ACA RATIO: Measures how much the eyes converge while focusing up close.
• NEGATIVE RELATIVE ACCOMMODATION: Measures the maximum ability to relax focusing while maintaining clear, single binocular vision.
• POSITIVE RELATIVE ACCOMMODATION: Measures the maximum ability to focus while maintaining clear, single binocular vision.
• MEM RETINOSCOPY: Measures the accuracy of focusing while looking at an object up close.
• REFRACTION: Measures the nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism of the eyes.
• EXTERNAL EXAM: Determines health of the eyes by observation.
• SLIT-LAMP EXAM: Determines the health of the eyes with a microscope.
• OPHTHALMOSCOPY: Uses special lenses to look inside the eye for diseases.
• TONOMETRY: Measures the pressure inside the eyes.
• DILATION ORDERS: Specifies the type of eye drops and method used to evaluate inside the eyes.
• CUP/DISC RATIO: A way of measuring the health of the optic nerve. Useful in glaucoma and other eye disease cases.
• ASSESSMENT: States what the known visual or eye health problems are.
• PLAN: Summarizes the recommendations for the treatment of the problems.

Be Well!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 9:08 pm and is filed under General Information, Optometry, Patient Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.