The human eye is the organ which gives us the sense of sight, allowing us to learn more about the surrounding world than any of the other five senses. We use our eyes in almost everything we do, whether reading, working, watching television, writing a letter, driving a car, and countless other activities. Sight is the most precious of the five senses, and many people fear blindness more than any other disability. The eye allows us to see and interpret the shapes, colors, and dimensions of objects in the world by processing the light they reflect or give off. The eye is able to see in dim light or bright light, but it cannot see an object when light is absent. The eye changes light rays into electrical signals then sends them to the brain, which interprets these electrical signals as visual images. The eyeball is set in a protective cone-shaped cavity in the skull called the orbit or socket and measures approximately one inch in diameter. The orbit is surrounded by layers of soft, fatty tissue which protect the eye and enable it to turn easily. Six muscles regulate the motion of the eye. Among the more important parts of the human eye are the iris, cornea, lens, retina, conjunctiva, the macula, and the optic nerve.

Question:

I just attended a free vision screening at the local health fair. Do I still have to see my eye doctor for a routine examination or follow- up visit?

Answer:

Screening examinations, conducted as a public service in the community at local hospitals and health fairs, routinely measure visual acuity, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar level and even intraocular pressure. By doing so, serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cataract and glaucoma can sometimes be detected. However, these free screening examinations ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE for routine, comprehensive examinations by your own eye care provider. Also, patients who are known to have ocular disorders, including but not limited to, cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration SHOULD NOT SUBSTITUTE a free screening examination for a regularly scheduled office visit with their doctor.

Screening eye examinations serve to uncover previously undetected vision disorders that can potentially threaten one’s vision. Adults over age 65 and children under age 20 should have routine eye health examinations annually. All other patients with normal vision may be examined every other year. Please contact us for a routine, comprehensive examinations if you have any further questions about your vision, life’s most precious sense!