{"id":20384,"date":"2022-01-03T13:47:40","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T13:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=20384"},"modified":"2022-01-03T13:47:40","modified_gmt":"2022-01-03T13:47:40","slug":"how-are-refractive-errors-diagnosed","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-exams\/how-are-refractive-errors-diagnosed\/","title":{"rendered":"How Are Refractive Errors Diagnosed?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>The <\/b><b><i>Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology<\/i><\/b><b> estimates that almost 25% of the entire world population lives with some kind of refractive error.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>But don\u2019t worry if you are 1 out of the 4 of the global population that has a refractive error &#8211; all this means is you need to see an optometrist and might need to wear glasses or contact lenses.<\/p>\n<p><b>Refractive errors can only be diagnosed with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/\">comprehensive exam<\/a> by an eye doctor or optometrist.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is a refractive error?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-exams\/the-4-main-refractive-errors-clearly-explained\/\">refractive error<\/a> occurs when light entering the eye is not focused correctly, through the lens or cornea, onto the retina at the back of the eye.<\/p>\n<p>The main outcome of this focusing error is blurry vision, either at distance or close up. Other signs are headaches, eye strain or double vision.<\/p>\n<p>Refractive errors can occur for a number of reasons, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Length of the eye overall<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Shape of the cornea or lens<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Inability of the lens to adequately change focus<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The four most common refractive errors are: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/\">myopia (nearsightedness)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-long-sightedness\/\">hyperopia (farsightedness),<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-optical-lenses\/guide-to-bifocals-and-multifocals\/presbyopia\/\">presbyopia<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-astigmatism\/\">astigmatism<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Diagnosing refractive errors<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Detection and diagnosis of a refractive error is done as part of a routine comprehensive eye exam. During the eye exam, your eye doctor will do what is known as a refraction.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-childrens-eye-exams\/cycloplegic-refraction-top-5-qas\/\">Refraction<\/a> is the process by which the optometrist determines how your eyes focus and if glasses or contact lenses are required.<\/p>\n<p>There are many parts to the refraction process:<\/p>\n<h3><b>Step 1: Auto-refraction or retinoscopy<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>This first step of refraction measures your distance vision and involves either shining a light into your eye or using computerized equipment, known as an auto-refractor. This allows your eye doctor to assess how the light acts as it enters your eye, and is refracted by the cornea and lens onto your retina.<\/p>\n<p><b>This first step provides objective insight to your eye\u2019s focusing abilities, as well as your optical prescription.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>Step 2: Lens phoropter<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>In this step, you will be asked to look through a phoropter, a complex device with multiple sets of lenses and dials.<\/p>\n<p><b>The phoropter allows your eye doctor to accurately determine your prescription, by relying on your input.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Your eye doctor will ask you to look at an eye chart, as they cycle various lenses, one at a time, in front of each eye, and ask you which lens offers better vision.<\/p>\n<p><b>SEE RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-exams\/what-is-corneal-topography\/\">What Is Corneal Topography?<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you feel your eyesight isn\u2019t what it\u2019s supposed to be, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">contact your local eye doctor to see how they can help.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h3><b>Step 3: Close vision test\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>This final step is performed if the eye doctor feels you might need a different prescription for your close vision, such as for reading, or using a computer or other digital device.<\/p>\n<p><b>This test will determine if you have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/optical\/guide-to-optical-lenses\/guide-to-bifocals-and-multifocals\/presbyopia\/\">presbyopia<\/a> or require an optical correction for your close vision<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>During this eye test, your eye doctor will lower a rod on the phoropter, which places a small vision chart approximately 12 inches from your eyes. Various eye tests will allow the eye doctor to determine the correct strength of lenses required to correct your close vision.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Step 4: Astigmatism tests<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Along with the standard eye exam and refraction, accurately diagnosing astigmatism may involve specific eye tests to examine the curvature of the cornea.<\/p>\n<p><b>Diagnosis of astigmatism often uses specialized diagnostic equipment, such as a keratometer or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-exams\/what-is-corneal-topography\/\">corneal topography<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Corneal topography provides a digital 3D image map of your cornea, that helps your eye doctor get a more comprehensive view of your eye, and determine the best way to treat your astigmatism.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Step 5: Trial frame<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>To finalize your optical prescription, your eye doctor may place a trial frame on your face. These are eyeglasses that allow the doctor to insert a range of actual lenses to determine your final prescription.<\/p>\n<p><b>For children, trial frames are often used in place of the phoropter, as many children feel uncomfortable sitting behind a large phoropter.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>LEARN MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/\">Guide to Eye Exams<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you feel your eyesight is blurry, or not as clear as it used to be, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">schedule an appointment with your local eye doctor.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>Don\u2019t worry if you are one of the 25% of the global population that has a refractive error.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>All this means is you need to see an optometrist and might need to wear glasses or contact lenses.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology estimates that almost 25% of the entire world population lives with some kind of refractive error. But don\u2019t worry if<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":20385,"parent":304,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20384","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Are Refractive Errors Diagnosed?\u00a0 - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-exams\/how-are-refractive-errors-diagnosed\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Are Refractive Errors Diagnosed?\u00a0 - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology estimates that almost 25% of the entire world population lives with some kind of refractive error. 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