What is the Difference Between an Eye Exam and a Vision Screening?
We get it, back-to-school season can be hectic. Shopping for school supplies, clothes, managing a new schedule; it’s exhausting just to think about. With all that’s happening this time of year, it’s easy to miss a crucial moment that can have long-term impact on a child’s success in school. Before heading into another academic year, it's important children receive a comprehensive eye examination. With direct correlations between undiagnosed visual issues and poor performance in school, this is a must-have on your back-to-school checklist.
But wait, you ask, doesn’t my child receive a vision screening early in the school year? The answer is yes, but there’s a difference. Dr. Danielle Richardson from Los Angeles, CA joins us for an episode of Ask an Eye Doc where she breaks down for us the difference between a vision screening and an eye exam.
What is a vision screening?“A vision screening serves to detect the presence of ocular or visual health issues and with that detection, a referral is made to a local optometrist to complete a comprehensive eye examination” says Dr. Richardson. “The difference between the two is that a comprehensive eye exam actually diagnoses visual health issues and ocular conditions in a way that a vision screening just can't, simply because there's a difference in equipment and in the depth of the examination.”
What’s the advantage of a comprehensive eye exam?Not only is your eye doctor able to tell exactly what your prescription is during the comprehensive eye exam, they're also able to look at the health of the back of the eye using special drops that dilate the pupil. Dr. Richardson goes on to tell us, “During the eye dilation, we're able to see the retina and we're able to check for early indicators of diabetes, warning signs for glaucoma and any other possible retinal findings that could be detrimental to the overall ocular health.”
Children can also suffer from subtle vision issues that cause them to have difficulty reading, difficulty keeping their place, and general trouble seeing clearly. Many of these subtle issues cannot be detected during a vision screening.
“Vision might be our most important sense,” says Dr. Richardson. “This is why it’s so important to make sure children are having that annual comprehensive eye exam in order to make sure they're ready for sports, tests, and to feel their best this school year.”
This post was reviewed by Dr. Danielle Richardson, OD. Dr. Richardson practices In Los Angeles, CA. Information received through VSP Vision Care channels is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
https://www.vsp.com/eyewear-wellness/ask-eye-doctor/eye-exam-vs-vision-screening
We get it, back-to-school season can be hectic. Shopping for school supplies, clothes, managing a new schedule; it’s exhausting just to think about. With all that’s happening this time of year, it’s easy to miss a crucial moment that can have long-term impact on a child’s success in school. Before heading into another academic year, it's important children receive a comprehensive eye examination. With direct correlations between undiagnosed visual issues and poor performance in school, this is a must-have on your back-to-school checklist.
But wait, you ask, doesn’t my child receive a vision screening early in the school year? The answer is yes, but there’s a difference. Dr. Danielle Richardson from Los Angeles, CA joins us for an episode of Ask an Eye Doc where she breaks down for us the difference between a vision screening and an eye exam.
What is a vision screening?“A vision screening serves to detect the presence of ocular or visual health issues and with that detection, a referral is made to a local optometrist to complete a comprehensive eye examination” says Dr. Richardson. “The difference between the two is that a comprehensive eye exam actually diagnoses visual health issues and ocular conditions in a way that a vision screening just can't, simply because there's a difference in equipment and in the depth of the examination.”
What’s the advantage of a comprehensive eye exam?Not only is your eye doctor able to tell exactly what your prescription is during the comprehensive eye exam, they're also able to look at the health of the back of the eye using special drops that dilate the pupil. Dr. Richardson goes on to tell us, “During the eye dilation, we're able to see the retina and we're able to check for early indicators of diabetes, warning signs for glaucoma and any other possible retinal findings that could be detrimental to the overall ocular health.”
Children can also suffer from subtle vision issues that cause them to have difficulty reading, difficulty keeping their place, and general trouble seeing clearly. Many of these subtle issues cannot be detected during a vision screening.
“Vision might be our most important sense,” says Dr. Richardson. “This is why it’s so important to make sure children are having that annual comprehensive eye exam in order to make sure they're ready for sports, tests, and to feel their best this school year.”
This post was reviewed by Dr. Danielle Richardson, OD. Dr. Richardson practices In Los Angeles, CA. Information received through VSP Vision Care channels is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
https://www.vsp.com/eyewear-wellness/ask-eye-doctor/eye-exam-vs-vision-screening