A visit to the eye doctor can be for a wide variety of reasons.

Short, problem-specific visits may be all that are needed for minor medical issues.

Longer, more involved visits may be needed for a thorough vision evaluation if the reason for the visit pertains to eyeglasses, contact lenses, or vision-related issues.

Finally, visits for more complex medical problems, which may involve the health of the eye, the orbit, the brain, and visual pathways, or overall general health often will require a detailed evaluation, including dilation of the eyes.

A comprehensive vision evaluation will determine how well you see with and without glasses and, specifically, what lenses are required to obtain the best vision that your eyes are capable of providing.

A variety of vision tests may be performed to assess how well the two eyes work together and whether the visual pathways through the brain are performing normally.

Typically the eyes will be dilated to allow the doctor a better view of the retina and other internal structures of the eye. Since the dilated pupils increase one's sensitivity to light, temporary sunglasses are offered to all dilated patients to ease the inconvenience after the visit.

Routine vision examination should begin at about the age that children enter kindergarten – sooner if obvious problems are observed or if recommended by the pediatrician. School-age children are typically seen for re-evaluations at yearly intervals.

The American Optometric Association recommends an eye examination at least every two years from 19 years of age to age 60. Over age 60 years, the AOA recommends annual examinations for the earliest detection and treatment of eye health issues.

Some conditions, like glaucoma or diabetes, may require evaluations at intervals of much less than a year.