About Eye Exams.

Questions and Answers about Eye Examinations.

What is an eye examination?

An eye examination includes a review of your medical history, an analysis of your visual acuity, which may or may not include a prescription for glasses, an examination of the eye's physical well-being, content and surrounding tissue, and an evaluation of the eye's connection with the visual system inside your brain.

Who needs an eye examination by an ophthalmologist?

Children:

Most pediatric screening eye examinations are done by pediatricians and school nurses or by Doctors of Optometry. If one of these screening examinations finds an irregularity in a child's eyes, then an examination in our offices may be requested. A pediatric eye examination looks in particular for abnormalities of visual development in children (amblyopia), irregularities in eye alignment (crossed eyes or squint), refractions that indicate the need for eyeglasses, and conditions that may indicate damaged or unusual eye findings.

Adults:

An adult examination may require eyeglass measurement (refraction) for optimal visual acuity, screening for glaucoma, analysis of eye structures and surrounding tissues, and recommendations for treatment as necessary. Adult examinations look for diseases which can be treated or prevented so that sight can be restored or protected from further or future loss of vision.

How is an eye examination performed?

Kindermann Eye Associates uses the most modern testing equipment that allows us to carefully screen for refraction. Before an eyeglass prescription is written, this screening information is retested by one of the doctors to make sure it is correct. Glaucoma testing includes a measurement of eye pressure. Ocular alignment is evaluated for cross eyed or other eyestrain caused by strabismus (eyes are not aligned and there is a stress in the ability of the two eyes to view the same target). A careful analysis of the external structures around the eyes is performed, including the eyelid, lashes, tear drainage and eye moisture. A careful analysis of the internal structures of the eye includes the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, vitreous, retina, optic nerve, and blood vessels.

As necessary, further testing is performed, which may include measurement of actual tear production, cell thickness and condition of the cornea, an analysis of risk of glaucoma (gonioscopy), a detailed evaluation of peripheral vision or visual field, a quantitative and qualitative measurements of the optic disc and retina, and wavefront analysis of internal and external ocular tissue.

Kindermann Eye Associates maintains the means to do all these tests inside our Cherry Hill, New Jersey office.

What happens if you find something wrong?

That depends on what we find wrong.

Most of the conditions of the eye Kindermann Eye Associates has the experience you need to address the majority of eye conditions in our office or, as necessary, at the Wills Eye Surgicenter in Cherry Hill.

Were your condition be beyond our scope of practice, we will assist in making arrangements for you to receive consultations by outside specialists. These include the various departments at Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia, where we are on staff and other centers or specialists throughout the area.

Is a refraction (measurent for eyeglass prescription) a part of every examination?

Our job is to evaluate and care for people's eyes. As part of this, we must know how well you see. To accomplish this, we must do enough of a refraction to score a person's visual acuity. Knowing how well a person sees and obtaining a basic knowledge of a person's general refraction is done on nearly every patient who comes to our office except in emergency, or a few other situations when we may not be initially able to obtain this information.

Occasionally patients who come to our office do not want a refraction, most likely due to cost. Therefore, not every patient receives a "complete eye examination", which includes eyeglass refraction and prescription. If a patient requests an eyeglass prescription, then we will go from the basic refraction (which is part of all general examinations) and refine it to provide a prescription.

Will I have to pay for the refraction?

Medicare will not pay for refractions, nor will nearly all other medical insurers or HMO's. They consider this to be your financial responsibility and require us to charge you for this service. If we complete a refraction at your request, there will be a charge. The technician who calls you to the examination room can tell you what the charge will be.

We check eyeglass prescriptions carefully and compare them to your previous eyeglass prescription. If we find that our measurement is so close to your present eyeglasses, we will tell you and advise you that new eyeglasses will not be helpful. There would be no charge for that refraction.

What if I don't like the way I see with my new glasses?

If we give you a new eyeglass prescription, we stand by our work. We will request you to try the new glasses for at least two weeks before you decide whether you like them or not. Experience has shown us that sometimes it takes a while to adjust the new eyeglasses.

If after two weeks, we need to change your eyeglasses prescription, we will do so at no cost to you.

How often should I have my eyes checked?

Children who are referred to our office will be advised how often, if ever, they need to return to our office. If our examination finds nothing but a healthy eye, we will refer you or your child back to the optometrist, pediatrician, or other health care service provider who referred you to us and we will tell you how soon that return visit should be made.

Adults with normal findings on initial examination should have their eyes checked every two to four years, depending on age. We will tell you of this.

Adults or children who are being treated for specific eye conditions will need to return for follow up more frequently and we will provide you with a specific time interval when you should return. We will schedule this appointment for you if you wish, or can provide you with a reminder card that will be mailed to you prior to when you should be seen again.

What will happen to my eyes during my examination?

Most adult patients will be given eye drops that allow us to check for glaucoma. These anesthetic eye drops sting a little for a few moments and then quickly wear off.

Many adult and pediatric patients will be given "dilating drops" that open the pupils widely so that we can evaluate the back of the eye and so that we can measure the eyeglass refraction most precisely. These dilating drops may cause some loss of near vision/reading vision for a few hours. Dilating drops may also cause significant difficulty in bright sunlight. We provide disposable sunglasses under these conditions, however it may still be difficult to drive. We can avoid dilation of your eyes, if this temporary incapacity may cause you undue difficulty, but your exam won't be as complete.

Why do you have to do all of this?

In order to take care of you to the best of our ability, and in order to be as thorough as possible in examining you, all of the tests and eye drops are necessary. Should you have any question about this, please ask one of our fine eye technicians or one of the doctors. Your sight is precious; we want to do the best job possible taking care of you.

(856) 667-3937

Kindermann Eye Associates
3001 Chapel Avenue, Suite 200
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002