When you visit Dr. Tiffany Jackson at Front Street Optometric Care in Wilmington for a complete eye examination, one of the first tests that will be performed is refraction, which measures your optical prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Through the use of a refractor or phoroptor, our Downtown Wilmington eye doctors will place lenses in front of your eyes of varying optical powers to determine which strength best corrects your vision. When individuals require vision correction devices to see clearly, it is called a refractive disorder or error, the most common vision problem afflicting people of all ages. These sight-related issues are the result of an irregularly shaped cornea, which distorts the pathway from light entering the eye and focusing on the retina. Whether the cornea is too steep or too flat, light will bend irregularly and leads to blurry vision at varying distances. Undiagnosed refractive errors often cause headaches, eye strain, and distorted vision.
Downtown Wilmington Eye Exam
The two most common refractive disorders are nearsightedness and farsightedness. Otherwise known as myopia, nearsightedness is a condition in which a person is unable to clearly see and discern objects far away. A person with myopia has an eyeball that is longer than normal, causing light to focus in front of the retina rather than on the retina itself. Conversely, farsightedness or hyperopia is an eye condition where a person is able to see objects at a distance, but cannot see objects that are nearby. A person with hyperopia has an eyeball that is shorter than normal, causing light to focus behind the retina. Astigmatism often accompanies myopia and hyperopia and is defined as irregularly shaped cornea, often resembling a football, rather than a sphere. In general, astigmatism is an inability to focus sharply on objects caused by light rays entering the eye with different focal points on different planes.
If you are diagnosed with a refractive error from the Downtown Wilmington optometrists at Front Street Optometric Care, there are multiple ways to treat them, including prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses or refractive eye surgery. While prescription eyewear and contact lenses changes the refracted angle of light, allowing for light to focus on the retina, LASIK surgery safely reshapes your irregularly shaped corneal, lessening your need for vision correction devices. Laser vision correction is an extremely popular choice that has helped millions of patients achieve 20/20 vision; however, there are specific qualifications to be a candidate for this surgery. To learn more about refractive eye surgery and see if you are a good candidate, schedule a LASIK evaluation with Dr. Jackson at Front Street Optometric Care.