Explanation

An eye test is when a doctor checks your vision, to find out how well you see. If you are having problems with your eyes, an eye test can also find out what is causing the problem.

Why do I need one?

You may need one just to check that your eyesight is developing well. If you have problems seeing or your doctor suspects you may have a problem with your eyes he or she may send you to do an eye test.

What happens before I have it?

When you go to see an eye doctor (also called an optician or optometrist) he or she will ask you all about your vision and if you have had any problems in the past. Your answers to these questions help your eye doctor understand what may be wrong or the chance that you might need any treatment.

You should take your glasses or contact lenses with you if you have any. It's important that you tell your eye doctor if you are taking any medicines or if you have any illnesses that can affect your eyes like diabetes. Also tell him or her if you have any allergies .

How is it done?

Once you are at an optometrist's office there are lots of different eye tests that they may want you to do. Each test checks a different part of your eyesight.

You may have to read letters on a chart on the wall across the room out loud when the optometrist points at them. This is to check how well you can see. The optometrist may put some frames on your nose to check if lenses help you see better.

If the optometrist shines a light into your eyes with a small flashlight he or she is looking to see how well your eyes react to light.

To look at the inside of your eye your optometrist will use a machine called an ophthalmoscope. You will have to put your eyes close to the machine and look in different directions when the optometrist tells you.

If the optometrist wants to look at the back of your eyes more closely, he or she may put some eye drops in your eyes that make your pupils larger (dilate them). These drops take about half an hour to work and may make your vision blurred for a while.

The optometrist might also want to check your eye pressure. He or she can do this by putting a small instrument in front of each of your eyes that blows three puffs of air into each of them. Another way of doing this is to put some special eye drops into your eyes and then put a small measuring instrument in front of your eyes.

Will it hurt?

No, eye tests don't hurt at all. Some things, like having puffs of air or drops in your eyes might feel funny but it won't hurt.

What happens next?

At the end of the test the optometrist will talk to you about the results. If you need glasses he or she will write you a prescription saying what type of lenses you will need to see perfectly. You may need to go back to your doctor to talk about the results.

What if I have any other questions?

If you have any other questions, you can ask your doctor, or chat to other people about eye tests in the Medikidz forums and virtual world, Mediland.