What happens at an eye exam?

If you’re having trouble seeing, your mom or dad can take you for an eye exam. Most kids get a regular check-up with an eye doctor once a year too.

When you go in for your exam, you’ll be asked to read from an eye chart. This is the one that has the different letters in different sizes. The doctor will ask you to cover one eye and read a line then, cover the other and read another line. They might also ask you to look at some text up close, like you would if you were reading a book. These kinds of tests can measure how well you see up close and from far away.

If you do need glasses or contact lenses, the doctor will use a special machine that lets you try a few different “prescriptions” until you find the one that gives you the clearest vision. The machine looks like a giant pair of glasses with dials and knobs that can be switched quickly.

As they switch the dials, the doctor may say something like, “Is this better…or is this better?” Tell them which one looks clearest. If you can’t really tell, you should say so. Remember, it’s not a pass or fail test. This one is made to get you the best prescription so your vision will be as good as it can be