Vision problems are rising alarmingly, and if you suspect blurry vision, immediately visit your nearest optician so he can perform an eye test. According to a 2020 survey, around 163 million women and 132 million men had moderate to severe vision problems.
Do you miss your 20/20 vision? A distorted image occurs when light doesn’t focus clearly on the retina. Prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses ensure this light converges appropriately, resulting in brighter, clearer vision.
In this article, we will look deeper into an optician’s clinic and how they determine your prescription.
Types of Eye Conditions
Most visual difficulties occur due to nearsightedness, farsightedness, or a combination of both. If it’s your first time, their differences might confuse you, so let’s study them in more detail.
1. Nearsightedness
Myopia, or nearsightedness, happens when the eyeball is longer than usual, so light can not properly focus through the cornea and lens. The primary symptom is experiencing blurriness when looking at distant objects.
You may also experience the following symptoms that might indicate nearsightedness:
- headaches
- blinking
- eye fatigue
- sore eyes
2. Farsightedness
Farsightedness or hyperopia causes trouble seeing nearer objects. It is also a refractive error where your eyeball is generally shorter or your cornea is slightly too curved. Common symptoms include:
- squinting
- discomfort, burning, or aching around the eyes
- headaches explicitly associated with reading or other activities that call for attention to nearby items
Eye Tests to Determine Your Prescription
Your eye doctor can perform multiple subjective and automated tests to assess your vision and determine your prescription.
i. Autorefractor
Are you familiar with the hot air balloon meme? Well, that’s an inside look of an autorefractor. This only takes 10 to 15 seconds, where the amount of light entering and reflecting your retina is measured.
ii. Subjective Refraction
To determine the exact prescription, a phoropter is used by optometrists to test your vision through multiple lenses. This is where the optician asks Is 2 better than 1? The doctor will continue to change lenses until you achieve a comfortable and clear vision.
iii. Eye Charts
To assess your visual acuity, optometrists frequently use a Snellen chart comprising letters and numbers in various sizes. Each eye will be tested separately while you read the characters at a distance. The most frequent type of vision issue, refractive error, can be measured using this test.
Steps to Get the Right Glasses
- The frame should be slightly wider than your face.
- The frame arm should be horizontal and fit comfortably on your head.
- Choosing a proper lens height and width ensures that your eyes are correctly aligned within your lenses.
- Proper pupil placement is essential for comfortable prescription lenses. The center of your lenses should align with your pupils, where the middle and top thirds of the image meet.
Final Takeaway
Precise prescriptions can only be formulated with a blend of clinical expertise and advanced technology. If you are experiencing eye problems mentioned in the article, visit a trustworthy optician and determine the best eye test.
Protect your eyes from the environment (yeah, we talking about watching too many screens), eat wholesome foods, and keep active to help maintain eye health as you age. We also suggest you get your eyes checked at least twice a year.
The article was written in cooperation with the experts of Glasson – Optician & Optometry Management Software
