COMPREHENSIVE
EYE EXAMS
A comprehensive eye exam provides full assurance of vision and eye health.
At Acorn Optometry, our goal is to off exemplary vision care, beginning with checking the health of your eyes, your visual acuity, and offering a treatment plan custom to your needs.
3 COMPONENTS OF YOUR EYE EXAM
EYE HEALTH
Your optometrist will assess the external and internal health of your eyes, including monitoring the development and progression of eye diseases.
VISION
Your optometrist will assess the quality of your vision, including the ability of the eyes to adjust focus, eye movement, eye coordination, and peripheral vision.
TREATMENT
Your optometrist will provide a custom treatment plan which may include a prescription for corrective lenses, such as glasses or contact lenses.
WHAT TO EXPECT
When you arrive for your eye exam, please check in with the front desk.
- If it is your first appointment with us, please have your BC Services Card or Driver’s Licence with PHN (personal health number) and 3rd-party insurance ready for us to record.
We will begin with preliminary testing, including an auto-refraction, retinal photos, macular scan and visual field test. We will also take a look at any glasses you are currently wearing. Your optometrist will use the information gathered from this testing to begin the eye exam.
Next, you will sit with your optometrist. They will discuss your family & health history, ask about your lifestyle & visual needs, check your visual acuity and assess your eye health. Treatment and management options will be provided accordingly. The optometrist may request your eyes be dilated.
- Dilation drops can cause blurriness to your vision, difficulty focusing, sensitivity to light and glares/halos. Do not drive until your vision has returned to normal.
After care may include a prescription for glasses and/or contact lenses, further testing to monitor eye disease, a referral to an ophthalmologist, a recommendation for eye drops or supplements, etc.
- We recommend allowing 45-60 minutes for an adult or senior eye exam and 30 minutes for a children’s eye exam.
WHEN TO HAVE AN EYE EXAM
CHILDREN
Infants should have their first eye exam between 6-9 months of age.
Toddlers should have at least one eye exam between the ages of 2 and 5.
School-age children should have an eye exam annually.
ADULT
Adults, aged 19-64, should have a comprehensive eye exam at least once every two years.
Adults with diabetes should have an annual eye exam.
CONTACT LENS
WEARERS
Contact lens wearers require additional testing to:
- update your contact lens prescription (which is different from your glasses prescription)
- check the fit of your current contact lenses
If you’re trying contact lenses for the first-time you will require:
- additional measurements to determine the suitable contact lens size, material and prescription
- a contact lens training appointment (done exclusively at Oak Bay Optometry) with our specialist where you will learn to insert, remove and care for your contact lenses
- a follow-up contact lens check with the optometrist to ensure the lenses are fitting correctly and provide clear and comfortable vision
FAQ
What do I bring to my eye exam?
Please bring the following to your eye exam:
- your BC Healthcare Card or Driver’s Licence with your Personal Healthcare Number (PHN)
- your personal 3rd-party insurance information
- your current glasses, sunglasses, and/or contact lenses
- a list of the current medications, supplements and any eye drops you’re currently using
- the name of your family doctor
- a clear family history, including any eye diseases and general health conditions of your immediate family
How long does an eye exam take?
The length of a comprehensive eye exam will vary from patient to patient.
We recommend allowing 45-60 minutes for an adult or senior eye exam and 30 minutes for a children’s eye exam.
Can you direct bill my personal insurance?
We’re able to direct bill most insurance plans including, but not limited to: Pacific Blue Cross, Canada Life, Greenshield, Empire Life, SunLife, GroupHealth, GroupSource, belairdirect, and Manulife.
Please bring your personal insurance information at the time of your appointment.
We will directly bill your insurance on the day of your exam only. We do not have access to the details of your personal insurance plan and, therefore, are unable to tell you if or how much coverage is available prior to your appointment. For this information, we recommend you contact your insurance company directly.
How much will my insurance plan cover?
We will directly bill your insurance on the day of your eye exam.
We do not have access to the details of your personal insurance plan and, therefore, are unable to tell you if or how much coverage is available prior to your appointment.
For this information, we recommend you contact your insurance company directly.
How often should I have an eye exam?
The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends:
Adults, aged 19-64, should have a comprehensive eye exam at least every two years.
Adults with diabetes should have an annual eye exam.
Seniors, aged 65 and older, should have a comprehensive eye exam every year.
Infants should have their first eye exam between 6-9 months of age.
Toddlers should have at least one eye exam between the ages of 2 and 5.
School-age children should have an eye exam annually.
Will I have dilation drops put into my eyes?
Using dilation drops will be discretionary to the doctor and is decided at the time of your eye exam.
A dilated eye exam helps the optometrist see the back of your eye (retina).
Dilation drops can cause blurriness to your vision, difficulty focusing, sensitivity to light, and glares/halos. Do not drive until your vision has returned to normal.
Can I drive after having dilation drops put into my eyes?
Dilation drops can cause blurriness to your vision, difficulty focusing, sensitivity to light, and glares/halos.
Do not drive until your vision has returned to normal.