If you are in overall good health, and to the best of your knowledge you have not been diagnosed with any eye health problems or eye diseases, scheduling an eye examination every two years is usually sufficient. It is important that, if you have any family member who has been told that they have glaucoma, macular degeneration (AMD) or you are diabetic you will need to be examined at least each year or as directed by your eye doctor or family doctor. A number of eye problems and eye conditions become more frequent with age. In particular, cataract formation and other age related macula problems increase in frequency for patients over 55-60 years of age and even healthy people should consider scheduling a routine eye exam each year if they fall into this age group. Anyone over 40 should have an eye exam and glaucoma testing each year and anyone over 50 with a family history of macular degeneration should also be examined annually.

A comprehensive eye exam is a series of tests that examine all aspects of the eye, from front to back. These tests are performed in our office and are safe for all patients. You should expect to spend one hour in our office during your eye exam. We believe in a team approach to your eye care. This means that several medical professionals will participate in your exam including a certified ophthalmic assistant, a technician and the doctor. A variety of computerized tests will
be performed to help us with your examination. In most patients we will use eye drops to dilate the pupil to permit a thorough evaluation of the back of the eye including the health of the retina and optic nerve. For all patients we will perform a quick painless tonometry eye pressure test for glaucoma. For some patients we may need to order additional testing including visual field testing, optic nerve and retinal imaging corneal pachymetry thickness measurements, retina, optic nerve or external photography and ophthalmic ultrasound-all of which are performed in the comfort and convenience of our office. The doctors and staff at Coastal Jersey Eye Center will take the time necessary to help you understand your diagnosis and treatment plan.

The most common eye conditions diagnosed during a comprehensive eye exam involve refractive errors that cause blurry vision. These conditions affect millions of people in the United States and often get progressively worse with age. Fortunately refractive errors can be readily managed to let patients enjoy clear vision at al distances.

• Nearsightedness, or myopia, is a refractive condition in which close objects are clear and distant objects appear blurry. Myopia affects nearly one-third of all people in the U.S. to some degree, with symptoms often appearing in teens and pre-teens. Patients with myopia have difficulty focusing on objects in the distance, such as a chalkboard or TV. Academic performance can be negatively affected by uncorrected or improperly corrected myopia. Myopic children and teenagers should be examined annually, since eyeglass changes occur frequently.
• Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is a condition in which the eye focuses on distant objects better than on objects closer to the eye, so nearby objects appear blurry. This refractive condition occurs most commonly in people in their middle to later years.
• Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is curved slightly in one direction more than another due to slight imperfections in shape. In addition to blurred vision, patients with astigmatism may also experience headaches, eye strain and fatigue. The severity of symptoms depends on the degree of astigmatism.
• Presbyopia is the loss of focusing ability and thus the ability to see clearly to read or do other tasks up close. This problem occurs in all individuals, sometime between one’s mid-30’s to late 40’s.

Each of these refractive conditions can be managed effectively with eyeglasses and contact lenses. Our optical dispensary, Classic Eyewear, offers patients a wide selection of frame styles, lenses and enhancements such as anti-glare & anti reflective coatings and polarized lenses.