Understanding Your Report
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This page is to assist in further understanding the report and explain what the different areas mean.
1. Cover Test
This test is used to determine whether there may be a 'lazy eye' present and whether the eyes work well together as a team.
Orthophoria Is a normal condition of balance for the eye muscles
Exophoria Is when the eyes tend to deviate outwards when the eyes are at 'resting state'. Having a small exophoria is normal when looking up close.
Esophoria Is when the eyes tend to deviate inwards when the eyes are at 'resting state'. This usually indicates that the eyes are over-working.
Exotropia Is when one or two eyes deviate outwards when the eyes are looking at an object. This is typically called a 'lazy eye'.
Esotropia Is when one or two eyes deviate inwards when the eyes are looking at an object. This is also typically called a 'lazy eye'.
2. Eye Muscle Movement and Control
This test is used to determine whether the eyes are able to follow a moving target smoothly and can accurately pinpoint different targets in different areas of space. This skill is particularly important for reading because reading requires quick changes in fixations. If there is poor eye movement and control, this can translate to the student skipping words or lines when reading.
3. Pupil Response
This is to test that the pupils have a normal reaction to light.
4. Eye Teaming Ability
A battery of tests are performed to deduce whether the eyes work well together as a team. If there is poor eye-teaming ability, this can result in poor concentration, headaches, near-work avoidance and poor comprehension. This can also affect eye-hand co-ordination thus affecting a student's sporting performance. There are a couple of terms that can be used to describe a person's poor eye-teaming ability. They are listed below.
Convergence Insufficiency - "This is a condition in which the muscles of the eye responsible for convergence (turning the eyes in) appear to be weak, at least relative to the muscles responsible for divergence (turning the eyes out). However, the patient's eyes remain straight in all fields of gaze." For more information, please visit www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/convergence-insufficiency
Convergence Excess - "This is a condition in which the muscles of the eye responsible for divergence (turning the eyes out) appear to be weak, at least relative to the muscles responsible for convergence (turning the eyes in). However, the patient's eyes remain straight in all fields of gaze."
This results in ‘strained’ eyes and the affected individual complains of headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, or fatigue with continued efforts at near work. This condition most commonly occurs in teenagers and young adults, though it can occur up through middle age.
5. Eye Focusing Ability
A series of tests are performed to determine how well a student can focus. It is not enough to be able to see small font clearly, the ability to maintain that clarity for long periods of time and the ability to quickly change focusing targets constitute a student's focusing capabilities. If this is poor, common symptoms may include poor concentration, headaches, near work avoidance and poor comprehension.
6. Stereopsis
Is the ability to judge depth of 3D objects. If a student has poor depth perception, this can result in reduced hand-eye co-ordination when playing sports, as distance may be judged poorly. This can also affect everyday activities such as when a student first starts to learn how to drive and needs to be able to judge the distance of the car in front or behind.
7. Colour Vision
Colour vision is the ability to perceive colour or colour differences. If a student fails this test, then the student is described as colour vision deficient. The term colourblind is technically incorrect as it is very rare for someone to perceive the world completely in black and white. It is a sex-linked condition that is carried on the X-chromosome. Being colour vision deficient does not affect day-to-day lives but may affect the types of occupations a student may wish to pursue. If a student aspires to be an electrician, pilot, soldier or any of the emergency services, then there are restrictions to enter these professions. It is also best to inform the Visual Arts teacher and the Geography teacher about any colour vision deficiency as it can affect a student's performance in interpreting maps and artworks.
8. Eye Health - External
The health in front of the eyes is assessed for any underlying infections, allergies, dry eyes or irritations.
9. Eye Health - Internal
The health at the back of they eyes is examined, with the optic nerves and maculae checked for any pathologies.
10. Refraction (Rx)
This is the clinical test used to find the refractive error. If a student requires a prescription, the refraction is the prescription that is given. This prescription can be taken to any optical store to purchase glasses. Health funds can pay for part or all the costs of the glasses depending on the level of cover the family is in.
11. Is the prescription required?
Most people have at least a small amount of refractive error that could either make them long-sighted (hyperopic), short-sighted (myopic) or astigmatic. This does not mean that all refractive errors should be corrected. Glasses are only prescribed if it significantly improves a child's sight or visual efficiency.
12. Recommendations
This is where the optometrist may provide additional information or recommendations.
1. Cover Test
This test is used to determine whether there may be a 'lazy eye' present and whether the eyes work well together as a team.
Orthophoria Is a normal condition of balance for the eye muscles
Exophoria Is when the eyes tend to deviate outwards when the eyes are at 'resting state'. Having a small exophoria is normal when looking up close.
Esophoria Is when the eyes tend to deviate inwards when the eyes are at 'resting state'. This usually indicates that the eyes are over-working.
Exotropia Is when one or two eyes deviate outwards when the eyes are looking at an object. This is typically called a 'lazy eye'.
Esotropia Is when one or two eyes deviate inwards when the eyes are looking at an object. This is also typically called a 'lazy eye'.
2. Eye Muscle Movement and Control
This test is used to determine whether the eyes are able to follow a moving target smoothly and can accurately pinpoint different targets in different areas of space. This skill is particularly important for reading because reading requires quick changes in fixations. If there is poor eye movement and control, this can translate to the student skipping words or lines when reading.
3. Pupil Response
This is to test that the pupils have a normal reaction to light.
4. Eye Teaming Ability
A battery of tests are performed to deduce whether the eyes work well together as a team. If there is poor eye-teaming ability, this can result in poor concentration, headaches, near-work avoidance and poor comprehension. This can also affect eye-hand co-ordination thus affecting a student's sporting performance. There are a couple of terms that can be used to describe a person's poor eye-teaming ability. They are listed below.
Convergence Insufficiency - "This is a condition in which the muscles of the eye responsible for convergence (turning the eyes in) appear to be weak, at least relative to the muscles responsible for divergence (turning the eyes out). However, the patient's eyes remain straight in all fields of gaze." For more information, please visit www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/convergence-insufficiency
Convergence Excess - "This is a condition in which the muscles of the eye responsible for divergence (turning the eyes out) appear to be weak, at least relative to the muscles responsible for convergence (turning the eyes in). However, the patient's eyes remain straight in all fields of gaze."
This results in ‘strained’ eyes and the affected individual complains of headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, or fatigue with continued efforts at near work. This condition most commonly occurs in teenagers and young adults, though it can occur up through middle age.
5. Eye Focusing Ability
A series of tests are performed to determine how well a student can focus. It is not enough to be able to see small font clearly, the ability to maintain that clarity for long periods of time and the ability to quickly change focusing targets constitute a student's focusing capabilities. If this is poor, common symptoms may include poor concentration, headaches, near work avoidance and poor comprehension.
6. Stereopsis
Is the ability to judge depth of 3D objects. If a student has poor depth perception, this can result in reduced hand-eye co-ordination when playing sports, as distance may be judged poorly. This can also affect everyday activities such as when a student first starts to learn how to drive and needs to be able to judge the distance of the car in front or behind.
7. Colour Vision
Colour vision is the ability to perceive colour or colour differences. If a student fails this test, then the student is described as colour vision deficient. The term colourblind is technically incorrect as it is very rare for someone to perceive the world completely in black and white. It is a sex-linked condition that is carried on the X-chromosome. Being colour vision deficient does not affect day-to-day lives but may affect the types of occupations a student may wish to pursue. If a student aspires to be an electrician, pilot, soldier or any of the emergency services, then there are restrictions to enter these professions. It is also best to inform the Visual Arts teacher and the Geography teacher about any colour vision deficiency as it can affect a student's performance in interpreting maps and artworks.
8. Eye Health - External
The health in front of the eyes is assessed for any underlying infections, allergies, dry eyes or irritations.
9. Eye Health - Internal
The health at the back of they eyes is examined, with the optic nerves and maculae checked for any pathologies.
10. Refraction (Rx)
This is the clinical test used to find the refractive error. If a student requires a prescription, the refraction is the prescription that is given. This prescription can be taken to any optical store to purchase glasses. Health funds can pay for part or all the costs of the glasses depending on the level of cover the family is in.
11. Is the prescription required?
Most people have at least a small amount of refractive error that could either make them long-sighted (hyperopic), short-sighted (myopic) or astigmatic. This does not mean that all refractive errors should be corrected. Glasses are only prescribed if it significantly improves a child's sight or visual efficiency.
12. Recommendations
This is where the optometrist may provide additional information or recommendations.