How do I get checked for glaucoma and what can I expect at my exam?
Author: Dr. Joel Solano
You must visit your eye care provider in order to be checked for glaucoma. Only with a proper eye examination can you be sure that you do not have the disease. Everyone should be checked for glaucoma yearly unless you have risk factors for the disease then your eyecare doctor may recommend more frequent checks.
There are two types of eye exams – medical eye exams to evaluate the health of your eyes and refractive eye exams for glasses or contact lenses. If you are going in for glasses or contacts, be sure to also ask about your yearly health exam. At your health exam you should expect to have your vision and eye pressure measured. You will be getting several eye drops to make sure you are comfortable during your measurements and also to dilate your pupil so the doctor can examine the structures behind the iris or colored part of your eye. Your pupils will remain dilated for several hours after your examination so be sure to bring your sunglasses with you to the appointment.
