Vision screenings are limited eye tests that help identify people who are at risk for vision problems. These are the brief vision tests performed by the school nurse, a pediatrician, other health care providers or volunteers. The eye test that you take when you get your driver's license renewed is an example of a vision screening.

Depending on who is performing the test and where the test is given, vision screenings may include tests for blur, muscle coordination and/or common eye diseases.

A vision screening can indicate that you need to get yours eyes checked, but it does not serve as a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam.

A comprehensive eye examination is performed by an eye doctor and includes careful testing of all aspects of your vision. Based upon the results of your exam, your eye doctor will then recommend a treatment plan for your individual needs. Remember, only an eye doctor can provide a comprehensive eye exam - family physicians and pediatricians are not fully trained to do this, and studies have shown that they can miss important vision problems that require treatment.

Why Are Eye Exams Important?

Routine eye exams enable your optometrist to detect vision problems, eye disease and general health problems before you are aware a problem exists. Vision screenings are no substitute for a comprehensive eye exam performed by a licensed eye doctor.

Be sure to tell the doctor if you plan to wear contact lenses when you schedule an eye exam. Your eye doctor will need extra time for a contact lens fitting, which includes measurements of your eye's surface.

Routine eye exams are important - regardless of your age or your physical health.

During a comprehensive eye exam, Dr. Marotta does much more than determine your prescription requirements for eyeglasses or contact lenses. He will also check your eyes for common eye diseases, assess how your eyes work together as a team and evaluate your eyes as an indicator of your overall health.

Eye examinations are an important part of health maintenance for all ages. Adults should have their eyes tested to keep their prescriptions current and to check for early signs of eye disease. Eye exams for children play an important role in ensuring normal vision development and academic achievement.

Vision is closely linked to the learning process. Children who have trouble seeing or interpreting what they see, often have trouble with schoolwork. Often children do not complain of vision problems simply because they don't know what "normal" vision looks like.

If your child performs poorly at school or exhibits a reading or learning disability, be sure to have his eyes examined to rule out an underlying visual cause.

Protect Your Vision

Greenbriar Vision Center now has optos! We at Greenbriar Vision Center highly recommend that you have an optomap® Retinal Exam, a comprehensive method of evaluating, monitoring, and helping treat various eye conditions.

This previously unavailable medical technology assists us in viewing the retina to detect early signs of eye disease as well as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and even cancer.

The optomap® Retinal Exam takes just minutes to perform. It is fast, painless, and comfortable for patients. Its ultra-wide view allows Dr. Marotta to confirm your retinal health, or discover signs of abnormalities or disease. This offers an opportunity for us to diagnose health conditions early and determine the best course of action.

It is particularly helpful when you return for your annual exam as it provides a permanent record of the condition of your retina. Dr. Marotta will be able to compare each year's optomap® Retinal Exam image side by side to discover even subtle changes and monitor your continuing eye health. Early detection of retinal disorders is critical to preventing serious progression and loss of vision.

A comprehensive eye exam, including a thorough retinal exam, can detect early signs of numerous diseases that affect not only your eyes and your sight, but also your overall health. The optomap® Retinal Exam helps Dr. Marotta identify abnormalities that could indicate the onset of a number of diseases that often present first in the retina. In these instances, individuals typically do not experience any pan or outward symptoms.

What type of diseases can optos uncover?

Discover • Diagnose • Determine

What Is the Eye Doctor Checking for?

In addition to evaluating your eyes for glasses and contacts, Dr. Marotta will check your eyes for eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss.

Here are a few examples of the conditions that he looks for:

• Refractive Error: This refers to your prescription, including farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. Refractive error is corrected with eyeglasses, contacts, or refractive surgery.
  
  
• Amblyopia:  Is a condition when one eye has a much different prescription than the other or the eyes are turned. The brain will "shut off" the image from the turned or blurry eye. Left untreated, amblyopia can stunt the visual development of the affected eye, resulting in permanent vision impairment. Amblyopia is often treated by patching the stronger eye for periods of time.
  
  
• Strabismus: Strabismus is defined as crossed or turned eyes. Dr. Marotta  will check your eyes' alignment to be sure that they are working together. Strabismus causes problems with depth perception and can lead to amblyopia.
  
  
• Eye Teaming Problems: Even if you eyes appear to be properly aligned, it's possible they do not work together efficiently as a team. Such binocular vision problems can cause headaches, eyestrain and other problems that can affect reading and other near vision tasks.
  
  
• Eye Diseases: Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, have no symptoms in their early stages. Dr. Marotta will check the health of your eyes inside and out for signs of early problems. In most cases, early detection and treatment of eye diseases can help reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.
  
  
• Other Diseases: Eye doctors can detect early signs of some conditions and diseases by looking at your eye's blood vessels, retina and so forth. Dr. Marotta may be able to tell you if you are developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other problems.  For example, diabetes can cause small blood vessel leaks or bleeding in the eye, as well as swelling of the macula, which can lead to vision loss. This condition can most likely be detected this during a complete eye exam. It is estimated that one-third of Americans who have diabetes don't know it; Your doctor at Greenbriar Vision Center may detect the disease before your primary care physician does, especially if you're overdue for a physical.