Retinoscopy

This test allows your optometrist to determine your approximation prescription for eyeglasses. During a retinoscopy, the lights in the room are dimmed. An instrument having wheels of lenses (called a phoropter) is placed in front of your face at eye level. Your eye doctor will ask to look out a things throughout the room. Typically, you are asked to read letters and numbers off a Snellen Chart.  At the same time the optometrist will shine a beam of light from a hand-held instrument right into your eyes from arm's length as well as flips various lenses in front of your eyes.

 

Based upon the way the light reflects from your eye throughout this procedure, your optometrist will be to obtain an accurate prescription for your eyeglasses. This test is particularly beneficial for kids and also non-verbal patients who are incapable to precisely answer the eye doctor's questions.

 

With the prevalent use of automated instruments to assist in figuring out your prescription for eyeglasses, many physicians pass up performing retinoscopy during comprehensive eye tests. However, this procedure could provide useful info regarding the clarity of the internal lens as well as other media inside the eye. Optometrists who do not conduct a retinoscopy routinely will still use it when examining an individual which may be in danger of cataracts or various other interior eye problems.