Eye and Vision Exams

What Is the Difference Between an Eye and Vision Exam?

While an eye exam or a vision exam are frequently done together, there is a difference between them. An eye exam is a thorough examination of the actual eyeball. They are done in an optometrist’s office at an eye care center with the proper equipment. Meanwhile, a vision exam only checks your actual vision. While these are also done in the eye care center, they can also be done in other community centers.

What Happens During an Eye Exam?

Before your eye exam, an eye doctor on our optometry team can give you medicated eye drops to dilate your pupil. These may take about half an hour to kick in. Then the eye doctor will be able to use their equipment to look at the interior of your eye. This is his opportunity to check for physical problems, like cataracts or glaucoma. Since this is a medical examination, it should be done in a sterile environment. The eye exam may also include taking a few high-definition digital photos to get a detailed look at the interior of your eyes to check for any irregularities.

What Happens During a Vision Exam?

During your vision exam, an eye doctor on our optometry team will check your vision through a series of tests. You’ll be told to look at letters or symbols of different sizes and from different distances. This will help your eye doctor determine if you need vision correction. This exam also checks for things like color blindness. If this vision screening is done in a school or other community center, you may be referred to the eye care center for more tests. If the eye doctor determines you need vision correction, he can help figure out the prescription and help you to get the glasses you need. We at 20/20 Vision Care have a full-service lab in-house, so we can get your glasses to you within the hour.