Some equate an eye exam with getting a prescription for glasses.  An eye exam is SO much more than that. When you come to us for an eye exam, we are examining not only your eyes, but your overall health. There are many health problems and illnesses that can show themselves by symptoms in the eye: diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, neurological conditions and many more.  The eyes are the window to your soul, and to a lot of other things that may be happening with our health. In our offices, we will review your health and medication history, in addition to measuring your eyes for a glasses or contact lens prescription.  The process of testing your eyes for this prescription is called a refraction.  You will notice that our exam rooms have automated equipment for our refractions.  This allows you to comfortably decide, “Which is better, 1 or 2?”   This equipment can be operated from a comfortable working distance and allows us to be even more precise with the refraction process ensuring that your vision is as clear as possible with your new glasses and contacts. We will also use instruments to examine the structures of the front of the eyes and the structures on the inside of the eyes. By doing this we can check your eyes for glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases. Early detection is vital to preventing blindness from these conditions.  Since early detection is vital to preserving vision, we have technology to help us discover these conditions before you may notice any problems.  One of them is known as an Optomap. The Optomap is unique in the way it provides a 360° photographic image of the retina without having to be dilated. These images are similar to fingerprints because no two people are alike.  We also use an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) to monitor conditions that may be more difficult to see inside of the eye.  The OCT helps our doctors to discover and follow diseases that may not become apparent for years to come.  Early detection is the key!