FAQs

A:At Kanata Optometry Centre because your eye exam is customized based on your needs and interests, your age, and your ocular health and medical history. Your Eye Doctor will let you know when it is best for your next eye exam.

The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends the following as a general guide:

Preschool (2 to 5 years) - at age 3, and prior to entering elementary school (link to Kids eye exams page)

School age (6 to 18 years) - annually

Adult (19 to 64 years) - every one to two years

Older adult (65 years and older) - annually

People with ocular or medical health conditions - as determined by your eye doctor

A:Each eye examination is customized to our patients. A typical examination will include:

Questions about your vision, general health, current medications, family history, and visual demands due to your working environment or hobbies

Assessment of your visual acuity with letters, words, or (for children) pictures on eye charts

Tests of your binocular vision ability to use your eyes together

Refractive and accomodation (focusing) testing

Examination of your eyes from front to back using microscopes, lights, and magnifying lenses to look for signs of eye disease

If you are 10 years of age or older or if your doctor requires, measurement of your eye pressure using a puff of air or a blue light

A:This is a ratio used to indicate normal visual acuity. It means that people with ‘normal vision’ on the acuity chart are able to see a certain size of detail at 20 feet. That detail is calibrated to be the same size in all eye examinations so that visual acuity can be standardized when tested between different offices. The detail viewed could be letters, pictures or numbers.

Some people have better than normal vision and some have weaker than normal vision. The top number in the ratio indicates the test distance (20 feet) that the target is calibrated for. The bottom number of the ratio indicates the distance at which a person with normal (20/20 vision) would be able to see that size of target. For example if a person had poorer than normal visual acuity, say 20/400 it would mean that the size of the target that this person sees at 20 feet would actually be recognized by the person with 20/20 vision at 400 feet. Conversely, a person with better than 20/20 visual acuity, say 20/15, would be able to see the small detail at 20 feet that a person with 20/20 vision would have to bring closer to 15 feet to be able recognize it.

A:Bring your most recent pair of glasses with you, even if you don\'t wear them anymore. If you wear contact lenses bring your latest box. Be prepared to provide us with your previous eye and medical history and to let us know if you have any special visual requirements related to your work or recreational activities. Also, a list of medications, eye drops, vitamins, and supplements that you are currently taking is very helpful.

Plan to be in the office for approximately 60 minutes. We recommend bringing a pair of sunglasses for your trip home, as some of the tests can make your eyes sensitive to light.

A:Optometrist

When it comes to vision and eye health, the primary healthcare provider is your Doctor of Optometry. A Doctor of Optometry has completed a Bachelor of Science degree or higher, followed by a four year Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited university’s school of optometry. A Doctor of Optometry is educated, clinically trained and licensed to deliver the best standard of comprehensive primary eye care. Your Doctor of Optometry will:
-Provide an optometric eye exam to examine, assess, measure and diagnose disorders and diseases within the human eye and visual system, such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration;
- Recognize and co-manage related systemic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and brain tumors;
- Fit and dispense eyewear – including glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, safety eyewear and low-vision aids to ensure they meet your vision and eye health needs;
- Most can prescribe medications (this varies by province – so ask your Doctor of Optometry for details);
- Remove foreign bodies from the eye;
- Provide referrals to secondary specialists, such as ophthalmologists, for treatment of systemic disease or eye surgery when necessary;
- Co-manage pre- and post-operative care for laser vision correction;
- Co-manage ocular diseases with ophthalmologists; and
- Conduct research and promote education and advancement in the visual sciences.

Ophthalmologist

Ophthalmologists are surgeons and specialists in eye disease. They have completed a Bachelor Degree and four years of medical school at an accredited university, as well as a residency in medical and surgical care of the eyes in an accredited university hospital. They are secondary-level healthcare providers and patients usually require a referral from their Doctor of Optometry to obtain an appointment for medical or surgical treatment such as cataract surgery.

Optician

Opticians are the third member of the eye care team. They are trained through a college program to fabricate and fit vision aids, such as glasses, based on the prescription of a doctor of optometry or physician. Opticians are licensed to provide spectacles, and they may also dispense contact lenses and other optical aids. They do not assess, diagnose, or treat eye conditions, nor can they check or write prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Canadian Asociation of Optometrists - https://opto.ca/health-library/optometrists-ophthalmologists-opticians-who-should-i-see

A:If you are thinking about laser eye surgery, make sure to let us know when booking your appointment. There are important steps for you to take to ensure that we can complete your laser assessment on the same day.

A:Changes in vision usually occur slowly, and often people are unaware that they are no longer seeing 20/20. Also, sight-threatening eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration do not cause perceptible changes in vision when they first begin. An eye exam will ensure that you are seeing as well as possible, and can detect eye diseases in their early stages before permanent vision loss has occurred.

A:This depends on your age and the nature of your prescription. The majority of visual development occurs within the first decade of life; a time during which neural connections form between the eye and the brain. If one or both eyes lack the proper visual stimulation during early development, then central vision will not fully develop. This condition is called AMBLYOPIA. It is for this reason your optometrist recommends that you book your child’s first eye examination at six months of age, at age 3, and then annually thereafter. Because of the critical development that occurs throughout these early years of life, children who do not wear the glasses prescribed by their optometrist may not develop to their full vision potential.

Concerning adult prescriptions, wearing of spectacle lenses will not make your vision worse or damage your eyes in any way. Unless you are near-sighted and remove your glasses for reading, most adults over 40 years of age will become increasingly dependent on reading glasses. This is not due to the glasses “weakening” your eyes but instead, it is due to the natural aging changes of the crystalline lenses within your eyes. (PRESBYOPIA). Whether you wear glasses or not, your vision will gradually deteriorate over your lifetime. By wearing the spectacle lenses prescribed by your optometrist, you will enjoy increased comfort and clarity of vision at all distances.

A:Our fees will vary based your own ocular or medical situation and the diagnostic or refractive testing required for each individual patient.

A:Effective November 1, 2004 the Ontario Ministry of Health changed the coverage for eye care services in Ontario. Currently, OHIP will only provide coverage for the following groups below:
Children aged 0 to 19 years
• One full eye examination annually

Seniors aged 65 and above
• One full eye examination annually

Adults aged 20 to 64 years ONLY with certain medical conditions
• One full eye examination annually for people with certain medical conditions.
For more information, please call our office or email us at admin@kanataoptometry.ca

Note: Although OHIP does cover eye examinations for some people, there are some tests used by our doctors that are not OHIP insured. These tests are done as necessary in order to give you the best possible eye care.

A:Most of our patients will have private insurance coverage for eye care services through their place of employment or purchased on their own. The specific amount of coverage will depend on the details of the plan.
Patients will pay us directly for eye care services and will require only an official receipt from our office for reimbursement. Some private insurers will require forms to be filled out and signed by our eye doctors.

A:We accept CASH, VISA, MasterCard and debit.