Eye Exams

Routine eye exams are one of the best ways to preserve your vision and ensure that your eyes stay healthy. At Focus Refined Eye Care, with offices in The Heights and Montrose neighborhoods of Houston, Texas, general and medical optometrist Bimal Patel, OD, provides comprehensive eye exams to people of all ages. Dr. Patel has the latest diagnostic technology, letting him quickly and effectively determine glasses and contact lens prescriptions. Call Focus Refined Eye Care to schedule an eye exam, or book your appointment online today. 

Are eye exams necessary?

Regular eye exams protect your eyesight and reduce your risk of or alert you to eye problems like cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. 

Dr. Patel recommends having your eyes checked annually, even if you have crystal clear vision because many of these issues develop slowly and rarely present symptoms early on. 

What does a comprehensive eye exam involve?

At Focus Refined Eye Care, Dr. Patel tailors eye exams to each patient’s symptoms and needs. Even so, most visits follow the same outline and include the following tests:

Visual acuity

During a visual acuity test, you read off of a chart featuring numbers and letters of different sizes. Dr. Patel has you read the chart with your eyes alone and then again with various lenses. This helps him measure the sharpness of your vision.

Retinoscopy

Retinoscopy is a test that determines your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription. Dr. Patel dims the lights in the exam room and has you focus on a specific letter in the visual acuity chart. As you focus on that letter, Dr. Patel cycles through various lenses in front of your eye to determine which one most enhances your vision.

Slit lamp test

This test lets Dr. Patel look at the structures at the front of your eye under enhanced magnification. It allows him to identify potential problems with your iris, cornea, or lens.

Optical coherence tomography

This imaging test captures photos of the structures at the back of your eye, including your retina. The retina is responsible for converting light into electrical signals that your brain interprets as vision. It’s a quick and effective test for diagnosing diabetic retinopathy and other retina-related problems.

What types of technology are used during an eye exam?

At Focus Refined Eye Care, Dr. Patel uses several types of cutting-edge technology during eye exams, including: 

• The ZEISS i.Profiler® plus  for vision analysis
• The ZEISS Visuphor 500 subjective refraction unit
• Neurolens® technology to correct eye misalignments
• The Maestro2 robotic optical coherence tomography (OCT) machine
• The Optos Daytona retinal imaging machine

Patients regularly tell Dr. Patel that they’re impressed with the advanced in-office imaging technology, and it is incredibly detailed and accurate. You are guaranteed a precise eye exam that gives you the prescription you need and detects any issues you may have with your eyes.

What if an eye exam confirms I have poor eyesight?

If Dr. Patel determines that you have poor eyesight or an eye-related health problem, he develops a personalized treatment plan. Most vision problems are correctable with eyeglasses and/or contact lenses, but if you have cataracts or a more serious issue, you might benefit from surgery. Dr. Patel co-manages your surgical care with a very experienced team. 

Call Focus Refined Eye Care to schedule an eye exam, or book your appointment online today.