Eye Exams for Neurological Disorders

Some neurological disorders affect the eyes, and eye symptoms often lead to diagnosing the problem. The eyes can be the window to such neurological ailments as stroke, brain tumors, diseases such as meningitis and multiple sclerosis. Know what to expect from the eye doctor, and his evaluation should help with your diagnosis.

Before the Appointment

• Write down any medications and the current dose, as well as any allergies to medications. Make note of any questions for the eye doctor to ensure he addresses all your concerns. Give the list of medications to the eye doctor when you go in for your visit.

Checking Vision

• The doctor or his technician will check your vision and determine any new or updated glasses prescription. Noting vision changes also helps the doctor to monitor neurological conditions.

Eye Motility

• The way the eyes move gives neurological clues to the eye doctor. He will likely hold up a finger and have you follow his movements with your eyes while keeping your head still.

Pupil Dilation

• Some neurological disorders affect the retina or optic nerve, and dilating the pupil allows the eye doctor to perform a thorough examination of these areas.

Visual Field

• Neurological conditions may result in loss of vision in certain areas of sight, and a visual field test will measure these changes. This simple test involves a series of lights flashing, and you click a hand-held button when a light appears in your vision.

Considerations

• Neurological disorders present many different symptoms and changes in the eyes. Depending on the condition present, an eye doctor may perform other testing, such as color testing and depth perception.