Eye Exams - Seniors.....ages 65+

EB - Senior's Eye Exam - Price Card.jpg

eye-bar optometry provides comprehensive eye exam services for seniors (anyone 65 years of age or older). Regular eye exams become significantly more important as we age, as the prevalence of eye conditions and eye diseases can increase over time.

eye-bar optometry recommends that all patients 65+ receive an eye exam by an optometrist at least once a year. Regular eye health exams allow for the early detection, treatment and possible prevention of eye related problems. eye-bar optometry can also co-manage many eye conditions with your ophthalmologist. These eye exams are covered and paid for by Alberta Health Care.

Common eye conditions include:

  • Cataracts
  • Glaucoma
  • Age-Related Macular degeneration
  • Dry Eye Syndrome
  • Diabetic Eye Disease
  • Arthritis
  • Heart Disease


Seniors - Dilated Retinal Examination  - Paid by Alberta Health Care or $35.00

A dilated retinal examination provides a more thorough examination of your overall internal retinal health.  It is always performed in the case of reduced vision, visual concerns and individuals with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), cataracts and glaucoma.  This is the best eye test available for eye care providers to detect and monitor these eye disease, and is highly recommended to all patients. If your optometrist spots any eye health conditions during your comprehensive eye exam that requires further examination at that time, they may suggest that you upgrade to a medical eye examination which includes a dilated retinal exam. As a senior, this additional testing is usually covered by Alberta Health Care, but your optometrist can let you know at the time of testing if any additional fees apply.

What can I expect?

  • Medicated eye drops are administered to enlarge the pupil of your eye. These eye drops take about 20-30 minutes to start working.
  • At first, you’ll notice that your near vision will start to blur slightly, then eventually you may notice distance vision starts to become slightly out of focus. You may also become more light sensitive. Depending on the eye drops used, your vision may remain blurry for 4-6 hours.
  • Interesting! People with light coloured eyes will often react quicker to the drops than those with darker coloured eyes. Their pupils will often dilate more, but the effects of the drops will usually wear off quicker, too.
  • After the procedure, we recommend you wait for the effects of the eye drops to diminish or have someone pick you up. If you feel comfortable however, you are certainly ok to drive yourself home. It’s a great idea to wear dark sunglasses after the procedure to reduce light sensitivity.

So why doesn't eye-bar optometry just dilated every patient? Ideally, we would like to perform a detailed retinal examination on everyone. However, not everyone has the time to perform this type of examination. Many of our patients visit us during their workdays, or drive to our clinic on their own. Dilated retinal examinations can make it hard to read at work, and may blur your vision for driving or make you light sensitive. If your eye-bar optometrist feels that a dilated eye examination is required, they will rebook you at a more convenient time or when someone can drive you.