• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
  • Giving
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Thinkstockphotos 469140761 Scaled

Dangers of Online Vision Tests

Apr 25, 2016 |
By Kefla Brown, OD, MS
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

These days, you can complete almost any chore or task that you can think of online. You can balance your checking account, order your dinner, make appointments, and even restock on groceries and other household items simply by using the Internet.

In fact, companies have also started offering annual vision checks and tests online as well.

While this may seem like the epitome of convenience, the American Optometric Association (AOA) is urging caution with these online vision tests, as there are aspects of an in-person exam that an online version just can’t replace.

These online vision tests work by using a computer or smart phone to take the user through a series of vision tests, leading to a prescription being written for eye glasses or contacts. While ophthalmologists are contracted by the company to review the test results, the AOA argues that online vision tests can lead to inaccurate prescriptions being dispensed, as they are written without an examination of the patient by an eye care professional and without taking into account the patient's overall medical condition. Inaccurate prescriptions can pose serious health risks to the public.

The AOA has filed a complaint with the FDA calling for online vision tests to be removed from the market until additional testing is completed to ensure they meet the requirements for safety and effectiveness, as determined by Federal officials. 

Dr. Steven A. Loomis, O.D., AOA president, says that the AOA has taken the action of filing a complaint, “to expose questionable product claims, safeguard public health and maintain the medically recognized standard of care linking a patient's vision and eye health.”

A personalized, in-person comprehensive eye exam by an eye doctor is the only consistent and proven method to detect vision issues and a full range of eye health conditions - many of which have no obvious signs or symptoms but can threaten vision loss and overall health. This is because eye exams by doctors of optometry are also effective in diagnosing diseases at an early stage, including diabetes, hypertension and stroke. 

For your next annual eye check-up, make an appointment with a doctor of optometry (OD), who is a health care professional for the eye and has extensive, ongoing training to examine, diagnose, treat and manage disorders, diseases and injuries that affect the eye and visual system.

To find an optometrist near you, visit aoa.org or Ochsner.org.

Tags
eyes

You may also be interested in:

Common Eye Emergencies Explained Getty Images 1055656450
Conditions & Treatment
Sep 4, 2020

Common Eye Emergencies Explained

Some of the most common eye problems can include styes, basal cell carcinoma, and allergic conjunctivitis. Here’s what to look for, and what to do.
By Andrew Lawton, MD
Gettyimages 526116491
Prevention & Wellness
Sep 4, 2020

Eye Safety & Mardi Gras

A few precautions and wearing the correct eyewear can prevent more than 90% of reported eye injuries.
By Christopher Grenier, MD
477474469 Businessman Rubbing Eyes
Health Trends
Aug 27, 2014

Tips on Easing Eye Strain at the Computer

If you spend hours each day working at a computer screen, you may experience eye strain or red, irritated eyes due prolonged computer screen viewing.
By Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide