Ophthalmic Technician
An ophthalmic technician assist’s ophthalmologists in providing medical eye care. They are specially trained in the anatomy of the eyes and surrounding structure as well as treatment of eye diseases.
Visual Acuity
Visual acuity is a measurement of how well you see in the distance and up close. When checking visual acuity, one eye is covered at a time and the vision of each eye is recorded separately, as well as both eyes together.
Intraocular Pressure
Intraocular pressure is a measurement of the fluid pressure inside the eye. This fluid, or aqueous humor, nourishes the cornea, iris, and lens, and it helps the eye maintain its globular shape. There are several different ways to check intraocular pressure but the most common method is called applanation tonometry. Applanation tonometry uses a contact lens to measure eye pressure; this is not the puff of air some patients may be accustomed to.
Refraction
A refraction is an eye exam that measures a person's prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. You will be seated in a chair that has a special device called a phoroptor attached to it. As you look through the device the doctor or technician will ask if the chart appears more or less clear when different lenses are moved in front of your eye.
A refraction from an eye doctor can help determine the type and degree of refractive error you may have, which may be correctable with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.
Slit Lamp
A slit lamp is a table-mounted microscope that shines a light into your eye which allows the doctor to examine all parts of your eye under high magnification, including the lens, retina, and optic nerve.