Eye Dork - Eye Have the Answer

Why do patients have to suffer through the air puff test? What is it measuring? Is there an easier way to get this measurement? For many patients the dreaded air puff test is the most dreaded part of the eye exam. You're left sitting there in suspense and the moment you relax - BAM! - you're blasted by a shot of air right in the eye. The Eye Doctor isn't trying to torture you. The air puff test is done to measure the pressure in the eye to see if there is risk of vision loss from glaucoma or vascular occlusion. Eye pressure is a measure of fluid pressure in the eye. Aqueous humor is the fluid that causes pressure to be high or low. If aqueous is over produced and/or not drained fast enough from the eye the result is a high eye pressure. Low eye pressure results from under production and/or over drainage of aqueous. Gonioscopy is done to examine the drainage structures in patients with abnormal eye pressure. Eye pressure is a necessary thing, but when the pressure is t...

With every trip to Eye Doctor it seems there is more paperwork to complete. The goal of this article is to answer: Why is this information needed? How much information should I disclose? Is there any way to make the process faster or less inconvenient? Eye Doctors dislike additional paperwork just as much (if not more than) their patients. The information gathered does serve a purpose. First of all, a medical history is required to complete the legal definition of an eye exam. Also, for insurance to cover exam fees, personal information (social security number, date of birth) must be included. Contact information is utilized for tasks such as: reminding patients of appointments or inform patients that glasses and/or contacts are ready to be picked up. How much information should be disclosed? In reference to medical history. Be as thorough as possible. When the Eye Doctor knows of any current medical conditions they can examine the eyes more precisely for subtle signs that if t...

Eyedork - providing the latest eye and vision research to encourage a more proactive approach in seeking vision care and related products. The purpose of this sight is to inform the user about all aspects of eyecare. Eye examinations and selection of materials (spectacles and contact lenses) can be confusing and overwhelming. We are here to help you understand the process and hopefully make it more enjoyable. All questions are welcome. You can also follow on Twitter/eyedork.