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Online Eye Exam Risks

iMac Visual Acuity ChartsHere at Fusion Eye Care in Raleigh, NC we've researched online eye exams and have determined that the benefits just don't outweigh the potential downsides.

This is worth repeating: If you decide to replace your eye doctor giving you a comprehensive eye exam with self-administered online eye exams, it very important to aware of the risks that you are being exposed to.

First of all, there aren't any trained eye care professionals that are personally there to thoroughly examine your eyes' health, as you would get at Fusion Eye Care.  As discussed above, online eye exams are unable to determine whether or not you have diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, cataracts or other general health or eye problems that could be detected by your eye doctor when conducting a comprehensive eye exam.  If these problems can be detected early, it can help to improve treatment outcomes, and possibly prevent legal blindness and vision loss.

Even if you have perfectly healthy eyes, with a self-administered online vision test, there is still a higher risk of receiving an incorrect prescription for contact lenses or eyeglasses.  Even if an eye care provider reviews your online exam results before your order for eyewear is filled, when you are taking your vision test, there is still no eye care professional there to ensure that the testing is done properly.

If you take an online vision test incorrectly, it is possible you may not get the right prescription that you would need for driving, or you could experience problems like eyestrain or headaches with your new contacts or glasses.

What can you do if you believe that your prescription may not be right?  Will you need to retake another online vision test?  Will you have to pay for a second test, without any guarantee that the results from a new test will be better?  This is just one of the many reasons why it's better to come in and see Dr. Bassiri at Fusion Eye Care for an eye exam.

Cost Of An Online Eye Exam: Doesn't Necessarily Save You Money

eye exam raleigh ncYou may think that having your vision tested with an online eye test or another method would save you money and time compared to how much a comprehensive eye exam conducted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist would cost.

However, keep in mind that you only receive a small part of the overall services that are provided during a comprehensive exam by your eye doctor.

Also, online vision test costs are usually not covered by vision insurance or health insurance.  Therefore, an online eye test could cost more than a comprehensive eye exam if you have a vision benefits plan where you just have to make your co-pay.

Make sure you ask your employer what kind of eye care coverage you have if you are employed.  Many people don't realize that they have vision benefits and therefore don't use them.

Understand What Services Are Provided

If you are going to use an online eye exam, online eye test, or other kinds of mobile eye care services, it is very important that you understand exactly what the service does provide as well as what it doesn't.  Remember that having your vision tested, your refractive error measured and getting a prescription for contact lenses and/or eyeglasses doesn't ensure that your eyes are actually healthy.

It is critical to have a face-to-face, live comprehensive eye exam conducted by your eye doctor on a regular basis in order to safeguard your eyes' health and enjoy good vision for a lifetime.

To schedule an eye exam with one of our highly trained optometrists at Fusion Eye Care, please call us at (919) 977-7480