Health

A regular consultation with an ophthalmologist is strongly recommended to allow regular monitoring of your eyesight.

CAN I CONSULT MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST DIRECTLY, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH MY PRIMARY DOCTOR?

As part of the health insurance reform, consultation with an ophthalmologist with direct access is limited to certain very specific diseases. These are refractive disorders, i.e., prescription and renewal of corrective lenses as well as glaucoma screening and monitoring.

It is therefore often necessary to go through your primary care physician.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CONSULT MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST?

Beyond the age of 45, it is recommended to have your eyesight checked regularly. A complete check-up every 2 or 3 years is recommended. These regular check-ups are important because they allow us to detect, for example, an early form of glaucoma, a serious vision disease that can lead to total loss of sight. By acting early, it is possible to preserve your eyesight.

ARE THERE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN MY VISITS SHOULD BE MORE FREQUENT?

A consultation should be requested when a problem arises in the eyes: a problem with near or far vision, a red or painful eye, etc. Certain diseases, such as diabetes, excess cholesterol or being overweight, promote the development of vision problems and require more frequent eye checks. In addition, if people in your family suffer from glaucoma, it is particularly recommended to have your eyes checked regularly. In this case, visits to the ophthalmologist may be more frequent to allow for better monitoring.

WHAT WILL THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST LOOK FOR?

If the reason for the visit is a vision defect, a device called a refractometer is placed on both of your eyes. It allows the curvatures of the eye to be studied in order to determine the power of the corrective lenses that may be necessary to consider.

The refractometer studies the curvatures of the eye

Then the consultation will focus on the careful examination of the eye using a magnifying lamp: the slit lamp or biomicroscope to check that it is not a problem with the cornea or lens.

The careful examination of the eye is done with a magnifying lamp

The ocular pressure, that is to say the pressure exerted inside the eye, is then measured to detect possible glaucoma. In this case, a contact or pulsed air tonometer is used. He will send a jet of air on the eye and measure the deformation caused which is proportional to the pressure inside the eye. The examination is at best unpleasant, but painless.

Eye pressure is measured with a tonometer to detect possible glaucoma

A fundus examination, with or without dilation of the pupil by drops, can also be performed in order to visualize the state of the retina, blood vessels and optic nerve. If the fundus is performed with dilation of the pupil, you are not able to drive for two hours following the examination.

The fundus visualizes the retina, vessels and optic nerve
After the age of 45, it is advisable to have your eyesight checked regularly every 2 or 3 years. Only these regular painless examinations can help prevent the onset of diseases capable of sometimes irreparably damaging vision.