Eye Care FAQ’s

When you are experiencing a problem with your vision or would simply like to check the health of your eyes, you need to make sure that you visit the right Houston eye care professional. Below is essential information on the three types of eye care professionals that will allow you to understand which individual is right for your particular situation.

Optometrist

A Houston optometrist is a licensed doctor of optometry that can perform medical tests that evaluate eye health. For instance, an optometrist is able to determine if a patient is suffering from an eye disease and prescribe a course of treatment that will remedy the issue at hand.

The optometrist can also write prescriptions for corrective lenses that will improve the eyesight of the patient, which include glasses and contact lenses.

Ophthalmologist

A Houston ophthalmologist is a medical doctor of optometry who has the ability to perform surgical and laser operations to correct vision problems. They are also able to use plastic surgery for those individuals who require reconstructive eye procedures. This type of eye doctor can perform basic and advanced eye exams, as well as prescribe corrective lenses.

Optician

A Houston optician is a licensed eye care specialist that takes care of filling the prescriptions of an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Based on the prescription, the optician can supply you with the corrective lenses that are necessary to provide improved vision.

If you need glasses, the optician will help you pick out frames and determine the proper lenses for those spectacles. They will also make sure that any necessary adjustments are made so that they rest properly on your face. If you need contact lenses, the optician will order them based on your preferences and will use the prescription provided.

It is important that you select the right professional in order to receive the best eye treatment. Berkeley Eye Center has experienced opticians, optometrist, and ophthalmologist to help you with the vision issues you may be having. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at one of our 20 locations in the Houston area and across Texas.

As we grow older, it is important that we take preventative measures to ensure that our bodies remain in the best of health. An area of our body that requires special attention is our eyes. We need to make sure that they are in the best shape possible, so that they will continue to provide us with great vision well into the future.

Regular checkups are an essential part of healthy eyes. Certain factors must be taken into consideration to determine the frequency of necessary eye checkups and Houston eye exams.

Age

Children should have their eyes checked annually. If it is determined that corrective lenses are required, children should continue to have their eyes checked every year to make sure the prescription has not changed. Children who do not require corrective lenses should still be tested annually to make sure their eyes are healthy and their vision has not changed.

This also holds true for teenagers and adults over the age of 18.

Health

Adults should have a Houston eye exam every year because health conditions can begin to appear in the eyes at all different ages. Early detection can prevent matters from becoming untreatable. Your eye care physician may recommend more frequent examinations if you have health issues that put you at- risk. These health issues include a history in your family of eye disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or eye injury.

It is imperative that you speak with a Houston eye doctor about your health issues, as a medical professional may be able to help your eyes remain healthy. If you have not had your eyes checked recently, contact your eye doctor immediately to schedule an appointment and keep your vision clear and your eyes healthy. Contact one of Berkeley Eye Center’s 20 locations in the Houston area and throughout Texas or schedule an appointment online for your eye exam.

Having your eyes examined should be completed at regular intervals during an individual’s lifetime. Your eyes are organs that continually grow with your body and require regular exams to ensure that they are functioning properly. Otherwise, health problems can manifest that can lead to vision problems or even blindness.

Birth

Many patients wonder at what age they should begin to have their eyes examined. Yet, many individuals are unaware that they have had their eyes checked out since they were a baby. When babies begin to have their checkups, the doctor performs a basic eye exam to make sure the eyes are developing properly.

Childhood

Children should continue to have their eyes examined annually, and most learning institutions require children to have a Texas eye exam performed prior to beginning school to ensure that they are able to view the educational material they are being taught. Children who are diagnosed with vision problems may be examined more frequently to make sure that the prescription for their corrective lenses has not changed.

Adulthood

Adults should continue to have regular eye exams performed. These exams are important because health problems affecting the eye can begin to show themselves early on in life, which can greatly impair vision.

Adults who have a history of certain health problems are at a higher risk of vision problems, so it is imperative that regular eye exams are conducted. Examples of common health problems affecting the eyes include a history of eye disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Even individuals whose occupations require them to stare at computer screens and individuals who have sustained an injury to their eyes are at greater risk for vision problems.

To ensure that your vision remains at its best, it is recommended that patients have their eyes examined at least once a year. This will ensure that their eyes remain healthy and necessary prescription adjustments are made.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our Texas eye doctors. Berkeley Eye Center has 20 locations in the Houston area and throughout Texas.

Individuals visit a healthcare specialist when they are feeling ill or are experiencing health problems. The same should hold true for your eye doctor — you should make an appointment with a Houston eye doctor if you are experiencing problems with your vision. This is often a problem for some individuals because they are not aware of what exactly is defined as an eye problem.

Blurry Vision

Patients who are having trouble with their vision should inform their eye doctor if they are seeing blurry or fuzzy images, as it could be a sign of vision deterioration, specifically visual sharpness. This condition can present additional problems as depth perception may be reduced.

Blind Spots

If you see a blind spot or a part of the image you are viewing is missing, then you need to inform your eye doctor immediately. This type of blindness (or scotoma) is a serious eye issue that may indicate a more serious ocular health issue. Your doctor will perform tests to determine the cause of these blind spots.

Faded Colors or Color Loss

If you are unable to see a clear range of colors in the objects that you view or you commonly confuse different colors, you should inform your eye doctor about this problem. There may be additional health issues that you are experiencing. An eye specialist will take the time to determine what is wrong.

Burning, Irritation or Dryness

You should inform your eye doctor if you are experiencing a burning sensation or have a general irritation in your eyes. The eye doctor may need to conduct tests to determine the cause of your symptoms and proper treatment.

Head or Eye Injury

If you recently experienced an injury to your head or eyes, you should discuss the incident with your eye doctor. This is also true if you recently had something in your eye and are not sure if the object has been completely removed.

Eyesight is a very important part of your life. You should always inform your eye doctor about any vision problems that you are currently experiencing.

Floaters or Flashes or Light

If you see flashes of light or floaters (small gray or black spots or lines that move in front of your vision) you should see your eye doctor as this can be a sign of a serious eye condition. Your doctor will examine your eyes to determine if these visual disturbances are related to a serious eye condition.

If you are experiencing any of these issues, contact us or schedule an appointment online with one of our Houston eye doctors.

In order to keep your vision at its best, you need to make sure that you have an eye exam performed each year. The eye doctor who administers the exam will verify that your eye is functioning properly and that no other health issues exist. Below are some of the assessments that are completed during an eye exam.

• Distance vision test – The doctor will test your vision using a chart which contains letters that gradually decrease in font size. The chart is referred to as the Snellen Acuity Chart and is a quick way to detect problems seeing far distances.
• Eye movement test – The eye doctor will observe your eye movements as you follow a small light that passes from one side of the eye to the other. If the doctor determines that your eye movements are abnormal, he may perform additional tests to ascertain where the problem lies.
• Refraction test – The doctor will check your sight using various lenses to work with you to improve your vision. At the conclusion of the test, the eye doctor can provide an accurate prescription for corrective lenses.
• Testing for color blindness – Test cards that have dot patterns with different colors are used to determine if an individual suffers from color blindness. If an individual is color blind, they will see images differently than those who have no problems spotting the correct colors.
• Slit-Lamp examination – The eye doctor uses a slit lamp to evaluate the overall health of the eye. The slit lamp provides a magnified view of your eye so the doctor can inspect the inside and outside areas of the eye to ensure that your eyes are in good health.
• Eye pressure – The doctor will check your eye pressure to determine if you are at risk for glaucoma. If your pressure is abnormal, they may perform additional tests to further assess your risk for glaucoma.
• Dilated exam – The doctor will use eye drops to dilate your pupils. The pupils are holes that allow the doctor to view inside your eyes, so the drops work to open the pupils wide so the doctor can examine the entire inside of your eyes.

While these are the basic tests conducted during a routine Houston eye exam, your eye doctor may conduct additional specialized tests depending on the current health of your eyes. Contact us today at one of our 20 locations around Houston and across Texas to schedule your eye exam.