At The Cheshire Consulting Centre we believe that it is important for everyone to have regular eye examinations. How frequently you should have routine eye exams depends on your age, your health, your family history of eye problems and whether you have been diagnosed or treated for any eye conditions or diseases.

A general eye exam at The Cheshire Consulting Centre will include testing your vision as well as evaluating the health of your eyes. Please make sure that you tell our experts about medications you are taking for any health condition as well as and other conditions that you may have been treated for in the past. They will also want to know about your family and whether they have any history of eye diseases, eye conditions or have had any eye surgery.

Your eye examination will begin with a measurement of your vision with and without glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them. This will be done by having you read the familiar eye chart of letters that get progressively smaller as you read down the chart. This will help determine the current state of your visual acuity.

Next, the movement of your eyes will be tested and the reaction of your pupils will be examined.

Using a specialized microscope called a slit lamp, we will examine the structures around your eyes including eyelids and eye lashes. They will then use this instrument to further examine the tear film, the cornea, the sclera-the white of your eyes- and observe the crystalline lens behind the iris-the coloured part of your eye-by looking through the pupil which is the dark part of the eye. For most patients, one or two eyedrops will be placed in the eye to measure the intraocular pressure (IOP) in order to check for Glaucoma.

Eyedrops will then be placed in your eyes to dilate or widen your pupils. It may take 15-20 minutes for the eye drops to work, so be patient. At that time, the internal structures of your eyes will be examined. The health of your retina and its blood vessels and the optic nerve will be carefully observed. While this is not uncomfortable, the effect of the drops may make you sensitive to light and your near vision blurry for several hours after your examination.

We will check your refraction and or contact lens prescription and then provide you with a copy of your prescription so that you may purchase whatever spectacles or contact lenses are needed to correct your vision.

How often should I have my eyes examined?

If you are noticing any type of unusual problem with your eyes or your vision including pain, redness, discharge, flashes or floaters - PLEASE TELEPHONE IMMEDIATELY and the receptionist at The Cheshire Consulting Centre will arrange an appointment promptly. Our phone number is 01270 669098.

If you are in generally good health and have not been diagnosed with any eye problems or vision problems, a routine exam every two years is sufficient. However, if you have any family history of glaucoma, macular degeneration or are diabetic you will need to be examined at least each year or as directed by our experts. Because cataract and other age related eye problems become more troubling as we get older, patients over 55-60 may wish to consider a routine eye exam each year as well.

Children should be examined before they enter school in order to be sure that there are no undetected vision problems that might affect learning. The frequency of their examinations will depend on your family history and any specific vision problems or complaints.