Why are regular eye exams so important?

Getting an eye exam in Kelowna isn’t simply to check if your glasses are the correct prescription (though that’s obviously an important part of it) or to get contact lenses. During your Eye exam, your Kelowna optometrist will also check your eyes for common diseases, assess the degree to which your eyes are working together effectively, and look for any symptoms of problems in your overall health that affect your eyes.

Your eyes change as you get older, so different age groups will have to see their optometrist more or less frequently. Young children, teenagers, and those of us over 45 will need to get their eyes checked more often as these age groups eyes change faster than people between 20 and 40. Young children particularly need their eyes checked as they may not be aware of their eye problems at all, and those problems may affect their performance in school.

What should I expect during my eye exam?

Although each person’s trip to the optometrist will be slightly different from everyone else’s depending on his or her unique needs, there’s a standard procedure to a regular eye exam.

•  Medical history
As with any medical examination, your medical history will be greatly helpful to your optometrist. Any previous medications, physical trauma, or genetic predispositions may have affected your eyes.

• Visual Acuity Test
This is the classic test that everyone thinks of when they think of the optometrist. This set of tests determines your range of vision, if you have any colour-blindness, and how sharply you can see.

• Eye health tests
These tests look in and around your eye to make sure everything is as it should be. Eye diseases such as glaucoma often have no obvious symptoms in their early stages. Discovering them early is a great advantage in treating them. Similarly, other diseases such as diabetes and systemic problems affecting your blood vessels can often be detected through the fine vessels in your eyes.

• Review options with your optometrist
There are many options for corrective measures if there are any problems with your eyes. Your optometrist can give you all the information you need and make recommendations about the best course of action for you.


If you haven’t had an eye exam in Kelowna in a long time, contact us at Mission Creek Optometry. We offer comprehensive eye exams, pediatric eye exams, LASIK and refractive surgery co-management, and a wide range of options for glasses and contact lenses, among other services. Stop by our Kelowna location or give us a call to schedule an appointment or to get more information about your eye health.