The best way to ensure a lifetime of good vision is through regular, comprehensive eye examinations. A diabetic exam is crucial in the preservation and health of vision for patients with diabetes.

If you are a diabetic, it is critical that you have a comprehensive eye examination every year. An eye condition known as diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications associated with diabetes and is the leading cause of blindness among working-age Americans.

An examination by an EyeHealth Northwest ophthalmologist or optometrist is much more than a test to determine if you need gasses or contact lenses.

A comprehensive eye examination also includes:

• A test to measure your eye pressure
• A retinal exam to view the back of your eye
• A microscopic examination of the front of your eye

In addition to ensuring proper eyesight, regular eye examinations allow your eye doctor to detect and treat diseases at the earliest possible opportunity. Several eye diseases, such as glaucoma, show no symptoms in their early stages. A regular comprehensive eye examination can help detect diseases early, improving the likelihood for successful treatment and vision preservation.

Preparing for your visit:

A comprehensive eye examination takes approximately one hour. If you are new patient to our office, we invite you to visit MyEyeHealth online to schedule an examination, complete our registration forms, get directions to our clinics and answer insurance questions.

The visit:

After checking in at our front desk, you will be given a health history form to complete. You will be brought back to your examination room by one of our certified technicians.

To start your exam you will be asked for information about your vision and health history, medications, symptoms of vision problems and other background information.

During the exam, you will be given eye drops to dilate your eyes to allow the doctor to do a thorough examination of your eye health including your retina. The dilating drops will affect your near vision and make you sensitive to light, in some cases it can affect your distance vision if you are far-sighted. We do provide you with temporary sunglasses if needed.

Most patients feel comfortable driving after having their eyes dilated. If you are unsure or uneasy driving while your eyes are dilated, please be safe and bring another driver with you to your examination.

We hope that your visit to our clinic is pleasant and that we answer all of your questions.