What is a Visual Efficiency Exam?

A visual efficiency exam is a series of tests that evaluate a patient’s vision skills with particular emphasis on the following:

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• Visual acuity: clarity of sight at distance and near
   

• Refractive status: tests to determine whether glasses are needed for myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and/or astigmatism. 
   

• Accommodative function: ability of the focusing system to maintain clear vision at various distances.
   

• Binocular function: the ability of the two eyes to work efficiently  as a team
   

• Oculomotor function: eye tracking ability

Who Might Need a Visual Efficiency Exam?

Generally, a comprehensive eye examination (with dilating drops) performed by your eye care professional is required prior to a VEE. Based on patient's signs and symptoms suggestive of binocular vision, focusing and/or eye tracking problems, a VEE may provide valuable information in diagnosis and treatment.

These symptoms commonly include, but are not limited t​o:

• Blurred vision after prolonged near work

• Headache associated with use of the eyes

• Double vision

• Eye strain

• Loss of concentration while performing close work

• Skipping lines/losing place while reading

• Words appearing to move around on
  page during reading

• Closing or squinting one eye while reading

What are typical treatment options?

Your doctor will review the information collected and may recommend any combination of these treatments:

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• Prescription eyeglasses for full time wear

• Reading-only eyeglasses

• Eyeglasses with prism (which can help the two eyes to work together more easily)

• Vision therapy (a program that improves vision skills through a series of prescribed activities)

Types of Visual Efficiency Exams