Eye Health Information

From the instant we are born and right throughout our lives, our eyes send information to the brain that is vital for our survival. 80% of our world around us is processed through our eyes. This makes vision our most important sense.

Our eyes use 6-10% of our body’s energy to process what we see.  Tired eyes that have to work too hard will affect all aspects of our quality of life. 

75% of vision problems are reversible with early diagnosis and treatment. This is why regular eye examinations with your Optometrist are vitally important to maintain optimum eye health. 

An older woman with grey hair and glasses, wearing a yellow shirt, is smiling and talking to a man with a beard in an office setting. She has her hand raised slightly, and the background shows office furniture and windows.
A young girl sits at an eye examination machine, smiling as she looks through it. A woman, possibly her mother, stands beside her, smiling. An optometrist adjusts the machine, focused on the girls eyes.

Eye Examinations

We recommend that all children and adults have an eye examination every 2 years.

The first part of an eye exam is to check vision and compare what you are able to see using different lenses to establish if glasses, or a change in prescription is needed.

Secondly, the health of the eyes is checked for conditions such as: glaucoma and eye pressure, dry eye, red eye, age related macular degeneration (AMD), and other side effects of medications or health conditions.

Vision examinations carried out by Optometrists

Depending on your needs Optometrists may be required to carry out other examinations such as:

  • Colour vision testing
  • Driver licence eye sight reports
  • Diabetic eye health checks
  • Dry eye evaluations
  • Contact lens fittings
  • Workplace assessment for visual screens or safety and eye protection
  • Post cataract surgery examinations.
An optician looking through a headset.
A hand holds a pair of glasses in front of an eye chart with letters of varying sizes. The glasses lens brings the chart into sharp focus, highlighting the top row of letters. The background is a solid yellow color.

State cover of an eye examination?

If you hold a medical card or pay PRSI, you may be eligible to have your eye examination paid for by the State. 

Certain exams are not covered under Optical Benefit. Your Optometrist can help you with this. If you have an eye examination covered by Optical Benefit, but require further examinations or more frequent exams, this may not always be covered. In such cases, you may have to pay a small fee towards certain types of exams if they are not covered by optical benefit. Again, your Optometrist can explain this to you.

Sight loss and visual impairment

Not all sight loss and visual impairment is preventable and if you have been affected this way, your Optometrist can support you. 

Your Optometrist will work to help you keep your eyes healthy and seeing the best that you can. We can also refer you to support groups to help meet your changing visual needs and maintaining a quality of life.

 

The groups that Optometrists collaborate with include:

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