What is the difference between vision screening and eye exam?

[Clovers]

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Does anyone know? At free health care clinics I believe optometrists perform vision screening not full eye exam. Eye exam would be when they give you your prescription then you go elsewhere to purchase your glasses right?

 

[Clovers]

bump

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

I would never let anyone represent you in a "screening." Why you might ask, so a person sits in this box, and reads the letters on the 20/20 line or a wall chart 20 feet away. An associate (i.e. a Walmart associate or whomever doing the screening because the manager says so) says oh you see 20/20 you don't need a new Rx or an eye exam. But, is this person licensed to diagnose this customer/potential patient by just having them read a 20/20 line. Can they look in and see glaucoma or a melanoma. Just remember this person is under your license for whatever is said. You've worked too hard to obtain it.

Oh and I hate when a parent will say, "Well, the school nurse said (another brother or sister that's not getting an exam today) that they are not having trouble reading or seeing distance. Again a person not in a position to give medical advice. You really have to set yourself apart, and educate the parent at this point of why the child needs a real eye exam. Especially its even easier if they have insurance and a ten dollar co-pay.

I'm in total favor of a national manditory pediatric exam by at least the age of 5 or 6.

just my 2 cents

 

[cpw]

I'm in total favor of a national manditory pediatric exam by at least the age of 5 or 6.

just my 2 cents

The AOA has been completely behind legislation for this, but they're leery of appearing TOO eager. They feel it will look like the eye docs are just trying to sell more glasses and make more money. Not, in fact, to catch THOUSANDS of far sighted children before they become amblyopic.

 

[orangezero]

I know we sometimes do/did it in school. But its my feeling, and the feeling of many ODs, that "vision screenings" probably do more harm than good as far as public perception. It does erroneously re-emphasize to patients that vision is only 20/20 and thats the only point.

I think a better approach is to do education on certain diseases, and perhaps do one or two tests that don't have to do with VA. AND educated them on getting regular exams to monitor for eye health as well as sharp distance vision.

As to the original poster, no, they were not exams.

I'm trying to come up with a good analogy for patients. Vision screenings are kind of like seeing if someone can dribble and then telling them they are an excellent basketball player.

 

[alferec]

I'm trying to come up with a good analogy for patients. Vision screenings are kind of like seeing if someone can dribble and then telling them they are an excellent basketball player.

Haha 😀 ...oh man, I am totally using that analogy next time.