Prevention Starts
With a Good Look.

What Happens During a Comprehensive Eye Exam

A comprehensive eye exam goes well beyond checking your glasses prescription. At Sierra Nevada Eye Center, our exams combine vision testing with a detailed look at the structures inside your eye, using advanced diagnostic technology, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), to detect and manage eye health concerns with precision.

Regular exams matter because a number of serious eye conditions, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and cataracts, can develop well before you notice any change in your vision. By the time symptoms appear, some of these conditions have already caused permanent damage. Catching them early, through a routine exam, gives us the best chance to protect your long-term vision.

During your visit, we’ll test your visual acuity, check your eye pressure, and in most cases dilate your pupils for a clear view of the retina and optic nerve. OCT imaging adds a detailed, cross-sectional view of the retina that can reveal changes invisible to the naked eye. If you wear contact lenses, please remove them three days before your appointment so we can get an accurate reading of your cornea.

As the first ophthalmic practice in Northern Nevada to implement electronic medical records, we’re able to track subtle changes in your eye health over time, comparing exam to exam rather than relying on a single snapshot. If we find something that needs attention, whether that’s a cataract, early glaucoma, or a retinal change, we’ll walk you through what it means and what comes next.