What is a Cataract Evaluation?
Many people think cataracts are a disease, but they are really a natural part of aging. As we age, the proteins in our eyes break down and clump on the lens, giving it a cloudy appearance. Do you need a cataract evaluation? What exactly is a cataract evaluation? If you are age 60 or over, and have never been evaluated for cataracts, doing so is a good idea. Fortunately, since you live in Southwest Florida, you are lucky to have the experts at Elmquist Eye Group nearby in Cape Coral and Fort Myers. We can evaluate and diagnose your cataracts.
What is involved in a cataract evaluation?
In the early phases of a cataract, you will likely not notice any symptoms, which is why regular annual eye exams are critically important. The expert eye care specialists at Elmquist use several diagnostic tests to detect and diagnose cataracts. These tests are conducted as part of a comprehensive eye exam to help doctors determine the severity of your cataracts. Our eye exam may include the following tests:
- Pupil Dilation: a common test used in cataract diagnosis. The clouding of the lens is normally not visible until the cataract reaches a fairly advanced stage. However, when the eye is dilated, the pupil grows larger, and the doctor can more easily see your entire lens and determine whether you have a cataract.
- Visual Acuity: a test to measure vision at certain distances. This test is the standard eye chart test you have probably done many times. We test your eyes together and each one individually to measure how accurate your vision is at different distances.
- Slit Lamp: examination of the eye lens with a special microscope. A slit lamp magnifies your eye so that the doctor can examine the lens under a special microscope to determine the extent of the cataract. With your chin resting on the instrument, a light is directed at your eye to examine the lens.
- Contrast Sensitivity: a test similar to visual acuity. This test differs in that it puts tests image contrast. Cataracts can lessen your ability to see image or color contrasts. The protein clumps of the cataract cause light to scatter rather than to focus, so many doctors feel that this contrast sensitivity testing is a more realistic measurement of vision quality.
An Elmquist Evaluation
Hopefully we have answered your question: What is a cataract evaluation? These are the four main tests we use for that evaluation, and they are easy, quick and painless. Depending on your unique eye needs, we may have to perform other tests to rule out other eye diseases or conditions, but those tests are also easy, quick and painless. Don’t leave your cataracts undiagnosed. Unfortunately, when cataracts are left untreated, they can lead to blindness. Come in today at Elmquist Eye Group in either Cape Coral and Fort Myers for your comprehensive eye exam. We want you to be our next new patient.