Vision Changes
Alternate Names : Changes in Vision
How is the condition diagnosed?
A history and physical exam, including an
examination of the eye,
are done first. In an eye exam, the person may be asked to read an eye
chart. Special instruments may be used, and the
pressure inside the eye may be measured. Eye drops can be put into
the eye to make the pupils get bigger. This helps the doctor
see the inside of the eye better.
The doctor will also need to know the kind of vision changes the
person has noticed as well as:
when the vision change started
whether it came on quickly or slowly
whether one or both eyes are affected
whether near vision, far vision, or both, is affected
whether there is any pain associated with the vision change
what medicines the person takes
what other medical conditions the person has
whether there is any family history of vision changes
In addition, the doctor may ask about other symptoms, such as:
headache
nausea
vomiting
weakness
muscle pains
These steps may be all that's needed to
make the diagnosis. In other cases, further testing is needed.
The tests that are ordered vary, depending on the suspected
cause. A cranial CT scan
may be done if a brain tumor
or stroke
is suspected. A blood test can help diagnose temporal arteritis or diabetes.
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