ONE THING THAT A LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE – AND EVEN SOME KIDS – STRUGGLE WITH IS THEIR EYESIGHT. IF YOU WEAR GLASSES OR CONTACTS TO KEEP YOUR VISION CLEAR, YOU’VE LIKELY SEEN AN OPTOMETRIST – THAT’S AN EYE DOCTOR. THEY WRITE YOU A PRESCRIPTION, SO THE EYEGLASS MAKERS KNOW HOW STRONG TO MAKE THE LENSES. BUT INSTEAD OF TAKING A TRIP TO THE DOCTOR, WHAT IF YOU COULD JUST HOP ONLINE TO TEST YOUR VISION? THIS NEW ONLINE TEST IS RAISING EYEBROWS!
KIM HUTCHERSON HAS MORE.
THE CONVENIENCE OF GETTING EYE EXAMS AT HOME MAY SOUND TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE... BUT COMPANIES LIKE OPTERNATIVE, GLASSESON, AND ESSILOR PROMISE TO DO JUST THAT.
THEIR ONLINE TESTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE YOU TAKE AT AN OPTOMETRIST'S OFFICE. AFTER SETTING UP AN ACCOUNT, YOU LOOK AT YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN TO READ
LETTERS, SHAPES, AND NUMBERS, BASED ON TRADITIONAL EYE CHARTS. YOU INDICATE WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T SEE BY RESPONDING ON YOUR SMARTPHONE.
FOR A FEE, THE COMPANY SENDS YOUR RESULTS TO AN EYE DOCTOR WHO REVIEWS THEM AND WRITE YOU A PRESCRIPTION. EXPERTS... HOWEVER... DON'T SEE EYE-TO-EYE WHEN IT COMES TO ONLINE VISION TESTS. AND THE NEW TECHNOLOGY IS NOT MEANT TO REPLACE COMPREHENSIVE EYE HEALTH EXAMS.
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY SAYS THEY ARE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES, BUT THEY SHOULD ALWAYS BE EVALUATED OVER TIME FOR SAFETY AND EFFICACY.
THANKS KIM.
THE APP COMPANIES SAY THESE ONLINE VISION TESTS ARE NOT ONLY ACCURATE AND CONVENIENT – THEY ALSO GIVE PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY WOULDN’T GET IT -- ACCESS TO EYE CARE. BUT, AS YOU HEARD, SOME PROFESSIONALS ARE SKEPTICAL OF THIS NEW ONLINE SYSTEM OF TESTING VISION – THEY SAY NOTHING CAN REPLACE SEEING A GOOD DOCTOR, WHO WILL ALSO LOOK OUT FOR HEALTH PROBLEMS DEVELOPING IN YOUR EYES.
NOW WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! WOULD YOU TAKE AN ONLINE EYE EXAM INSTEAD OF GOING TO A DOCTOR? TELL US YES OR NO BY GOING TO OUR WEBSITE
AND CLICKING THE POLL BUTTON. AFTER YOU’VE VOTED, WRITE TO US AND TELL US WHY OR WHY NOT. WE’LL BE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ONE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!
Instructional Links
Radio Program Interview: EBSCOhost Explora, NPR Morning Edition, Online Eye Exam Site Makes Waves In Eye Care Industry | May need password.
Website Article: Vision Service Plan, Eye Exam 101
Interactive Lesson: e-learning for kids, Health, Vision | Includes quiz.
Website Article: Neuroscience for Kids, The Eye, Experiments and Activities about Vision | Online experiments
Website Article: Explore Heath Careers, Optometry, Optometrist