Everything You Need To Know About Eye Checkup Tests in Nigeria?

DR. AJAY SHARMA January 22, 2024

The eye is one of our body’s vital and complex organs that help to provide the comfort and pleasure of perfect vision. However, in today’s daily routine, our eyes are exposed to pollution, dust, and harmful pollutants, which can adversely affect the eyes’ health.
The eye checkup or routine eye checkup is the most common type of eye test your doctor may recommend to detect and correct vision problems at an early stage. Several eye problems and disorders, such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, can develop over time without any early warning signs and symptoms, leading to vision loss. Thus, it is vital to diagnose the early signs of any disease and initiate the treatment to protect your eyes with regular eye checkups and consultation with your eye specialist.

What is an Eye Checkup Test?

Eye checkups are usually painless and essential to maintaining good eye health. Both adults and children should visit the eye clinic at least once or twice in six months. During an eye examination, your eye doctor performs a variety of tests. Some tests check your vision and detect if your eyes need eye glasses or contacts. Other tests examine your eye’s health and check for eye disease that may affect your eyes. A test can help providers evaluate your overall health.
Your eye doctor will use special instruments, tools, or equipment to examine your eyes closely. These tests are not painful, but they may be a little uncomfortable. With regular eye checkups, your doctor can monitor changes in your vision that will detect the early signs of eye problems if you have and help you provide early eye treatment.

How Often to Get Eye Exams?

For children and adults, it is advisable to undergo a comprehensive eye examination twice or thrice a year. However, people with an elevated risk of eye-related issues may require more frequent eye checks. Consider scheduling more regular eye exams if you:

• Are aged 60 or above.
• Have African or Hispanic ancestry.
• Maintain excess weight or are dealing with obesity.
• Have undergone eye surgery, experienced an eye injury, or sustained eye damage from a stroke.
• Possess a family history of eye diseases.
• Have a medical condition, such as diabetes that may lead to eye problems.
• Use glasses or contact lenses.

What Happens During Eye Exams?

Your healthcare provider will conduct various examinations after asking about your health and family history. Some tests are designed to assess your vision, while others evaluate the overall health of your eyes, including the muscles and blood vessels surrounding them.
During an eye examination, your provider will illuminate your pupil to observe its dilation. The pupil, located at the center of your iris (the colored part of your eye), will be examined to gauge its responsiveness. Additionally, your provider will assess how well your eyes move, focus, and coordinate as a team. Standard tests conducted during an eye exam encompass:

• Visual Acuity: Your provider will instruct you to read letters on an eye chart (typically a Snellen chart) from a distance, covering one eye at a time. They may utilize a phoropter, a device with multiple lenses, to refine their vision through a process known as refraction. This aids in determining if you require glasses and assists in prescribing the appropriate corrective lens.
• Automatic Refraction: An autorefractor is used to measure visual acuity in cases involving young children or people with communication challenges. By shining light into the eye and assessing its response, the autorefractor assists providers in determining the correct lens prescription to address vision issues.
• Visual Field: To assess peripheral (side) vision, your provider will move an object or finger gradually from one side of your face to the other. This test, often conducted with a computer program, provides insights into your complete range of vision.
• Color Vision Test: Your provider will present images containing colored dots with hidden numbers in different hues. This test helps identify color blindness or deficiency by assessing your ability to perceive these numbers.
• Corneal Topography: Using a computer, your provider generates a “map” of your cornea by taking numerous measurements while you focus on an object. This test reveals corneal curvature, such as astigmatism, and aids in fitting contact lenses, preparing for corneal transplants, and other eye surgeries.
• Ophthalmoscopy (Fundoscopy): After dilating your pupils with eyedrops, your provider examines the cornea, lens, retina, optic nerve, and surrounding blood vessels using a handheld instrument and a light source.
• Slit-lamp Exam: Following pupil dilation, your eyes are examined under high magnification using a microscope (slit lamp) mounted to a table, allowing a detailed inspection of various eye structures.
• Tonometry: This test measures eye pressure, detecting potential glaucoma. After numbing the eyes with drops, a tonometer blows a small puff of air onto the cornea, or in applanation tonometry, a flat-tipped cone gently contacts the cornea to measure pressure.
• Fundus Photography and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): These imaging tests, often performed with dilated pupils, provide detailed digital images or scans to evaluate structures like the retina and optic nerve that help diagnose and monitor various eye conditions.

What Should I Expect After an Eye Checkup

After eye dilation, your vision may remain blurry for several hours, and your eyes will be more light-sensitive. During this period, avoiding activities such as driving, reading, and using screens is advisable. Wearing sunglasses is essential to shield your eyes from the sun, especially as your pupils return to their normal size. If dilation is not required, you can continue your regular activities immediately.

Where Can I Get My Eyesight Checked?

Ensure your loved ones devote as much as you do to proper eye care. We at Skipper Eye-Q invite you to make an appointment for regular checkups with our best eye specialist to prevent any conditions that might hamper your ability to see the world’s beauty.