Getting your eyes tested

Eyes and free eye tests.

Recently, perhaps over the last 3 months, i've had difficulties reading or computer work, my eyes would feel tired and strained, and often i'd need to close one eye to feel comfortable. Plus after hours in front of a computer, my right eye would often become very tired and sore...yes i do the eye exercises and rest regularly (every 30 mins i take an eye break).

So i found myself booking an appointment with a local optemetrist. Very helpful and thorough, he had all the College Degree's on the wall, which was re-assuring i must say, even though i'm usually not that near-sighted (pun intended). Eyes are important to me, they're one of the five senses i could not live without.

Anyhow, if you feel you're having problems, get on to it early...its not that your eyes will deteroriate - no more than is natural with age of course. I think this is a myth, that glasses do all the work for your eyes, and your eyes get lazy and don't see as well without glasses.

Go to your optometrist, they will test your eyes for free if you are an Australian resident with Medicare. It doesn't necessarily mean you need glasses or contacts.

I had noticed over the last few months especially, my right eye was starting to ache, especially after computer work and reading at night (optometrists refer to this as close work - it includes reading, study, computer work).

It got to the point, where i was actually covering (or closing) my right eye, to make my left eye read more comfortable, and without seeing double.

Now, apparently my eyes are healthy, my problem is whats called a muscle imbalance. This is something people are born with, and it usually presents in adolescence or teenage years. It gets worse when you are tired, stressed, or miss out on sleep. The eyes have to work much harder under these conditions, and this is when you usually notice it more.

So i went through the tests, look up, look down. Read the third line, read the third line with one eye covered and reverse. I had my eyes tested with what they call a Ophthalmoscope (see definition)

I had my pupillary (pupil) reactions tested. Now apparently my eyes and sight are perfectly healthy...well why do they get sore and achy.

The best part was probably when he opened his optometrist case, and took out the prescription lenses, and asked me to read a passage of text with and without the lenses on my eyes...wow - the difference was amazing - so much clearer and ease, my eyes were actually relaxed and still comfortable reading. You don't realise how much you've been putting up with discomfort, until a better alternative is shown to you.

So, short end of stick, glasses it is for me. Just for close work (computers, reading, study etc), though the guy said you can wear them all the time if you feel like it, movies, driving, anything where you need to see or focus on detail.

I will let you know how the glasses go, for those of you who may be sitting on the fence...let me be your guinea pig...

Remember, if you go to see the optometrist and for whatever reason you're not satisfied or the problem/s with your eyes/sight persist, go to see an opthamologist, or an eye specialist - they will conduct extensive tests beyond what an optometrist does, to get to the root cause of your eye problem.

Cheers

Labels: eye, eye test, eyes tested, optometrist, vision test