Should I Use Online Eye Exams?

Nearly everything gets done online these days—be it buying your favorite clothes to getting a degree. There is even a growing trend of getting an eye exam online.  But can an online eye exam match what optometrist does?  Are online eye exams effective? Let us see how, what and why.

Online Eye Exams–The Truth

There are many online services that claim they can help you have an eye test from the comfort of your home. They use a series of lines, letters, and shapes claiming that they have assessed your vision in as little as 30 minutes.  The websites claim that these “results” are tested by an optometrist and even prescribe eyeglasses.  But how can you be sure that a licensed optometrist is reviewing your test results?  And how accurate could those results be?

The Risks of Self-Examination

Because online eye tests rely a lot on the user, you will be essentially performing a self-examination.  Consequently, you run the risk of the following situations:

Undiagnosed Vision Problems

While online exams are convenient, the majority only measure the visual acuity and refractive error. A select few do test other vision problems like light sensitivity or even color blindness. However, none of them can detect eye health which is one of the primary aspects of an eye exam.  Online eye exams cannot identify problems like cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye maladies.

Incorrect Prescription

Not having professional guidance throughout an eye exam could lead to a faulty prescription.  Your eyes are very precise and sensitive organs.  If your prescription is off, even by a small margin, you can suffer from:

• Dizziness
• Eye strain
• Nausea
• Vertigo
• Blurry vision

While the internet can provide us with many conveniences, sound eye exams is not one of them.  If you are in need of a professional eye examination, give us a call.