General Eye Care
Chicago, Illinois Eye Doctor
General eye care is the foundation of strong ocular health. Keeping up with your regular eye examinations is the easiest way to stay one step ahead of vision-threatening eye diseases and conditions, especially as you grow older. At Doctors For Visual Freedom, our experienced Chicago ophthalmologist Dr. Mark Golden has the skill, resources, and advanced technology you need for state-of-the-art eye care.
Your Medical History
If you are a new patient, Dr. Golden will review your medical history during your consultation. Some conditions – such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and rheumatoid arthritis – can have a direct impact on your eye health. Just as importantly, a careful examination of the eye can reveal systemic diseases including atherosclerotic disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, thyroid disease, damage from smoking, sickle cell anemia, liver disease, arthritis, cancer, and brain tumors.
Other medical conditions that can affect your eyes include:
- Heart disease
- Cancer(tumors can spread to the eye)
- Thyroid problems
- Hormonal changes
Your family history will also be reviewed, since certain eye conditions are hereditary.
Your Eye Examination
A routine eye exam usually involves the following procedures:
- Retinoscopy – Determines your base prescription by having you focus on an eye chart while Dr. Golden shines a light into your eye and changes lenses in a device in front of your eyes.
- Refraction – For fine-tuning your precise prescription. Dr. Golden will flip lenses in front of each eye and ask you which particular lens makes your vision clearest.
- Visual Field Testing – An accurate measurement of peripheral vision that measures the field of vision which is important in the discovery of glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and brain disease.
- Cover test – Used to determine how well your eyes are working together. You are directed to stare at a small object in the distance while covering one of your eyes at a time.
- Slit lamp examination – A slit lamp is a device used to magnify the structures of your eyes to more accurately evaluate eye health.
- Glaucoma test – Depending on the circumstances, either a numbing drop will be administered to your eye, or a quick burst of air will be used to measure your eye pressure for glaucoma.
- Dilation – Eye drops are placed in your eyes to dilate your pupil, allowing Dr. Golden to more clearly examine the inner structures of your eyes. Since this will maximize your light sensitivity, it is best to bring a pair of sunglasses with you for driving home.
Depending on your medical history, Dr. Golden may perform other tests to check for more specific conditions and symptoms.
If you are looking for an eye doctor you can trust in the Chicagoland area, please contact Doctors For Visual Freedom today to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Golden. We serve patients in Chicago and Arlington Heights, Illinois.
