Adult & Senior Eye Exams in Blackfoot

The American Optometric Association recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 have a comprehensive eye exam every two years, and that adults 65 and older be examined annually. Your own schedule may differ. If you have diabetes, glaucoma, high myopia, a family history of eye disease, or you wear contact lenses, we’ll likely recommend seeing you more often. We’ll set a schedule with you at your first visit.

Original Medicare (Part B) does not cover routine eye exams for glasses or contact lenses. It does cover certain medical eye exams: an annual diabetic retinopathy screening if you have diabetes, and glaucoma testing if you’re considered high risk. Many Medicare Advantage plans include a routine vision benefit. Coverage varies by plan, so call us at 208-785-7274 before your visit and we’ll help you understand what applies.

Cost depends on the type of exam you need and whether you’re using vision insurance, medical insurance, or paying directly. A comprehensive eye exam is priced differently than a contact lens fitting or a medical follow-up for an eye condition. Give our Blackfoot office a call and we’ll give you a clear answer before you book.

Refraction is the part of your exam that determines your exact glasses or contact lens prescription. You’ll look through a series of lens options and tell us which looks clearer. It’s painless and takes only a few minutes. Worth knowing: many medical insurance plans treat refraction as a separate, non-covered service even when the rest of the exam is covered

Often, yes. Dilating drops widen your pupil so we can examine the retina and optic nerve — the structures where glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease first show up. Effects typically last four to six hours. Your near vision will be blurry and you’ll be light-sensitive, so bring sunglasses and arrange a ride if you’re not comfortable driving.

A vision screening — the kind done at a school, a workplace, or the DMV — checks whether you can read a chart at a distance. A comprehensive eye exam evaluates the health of your eyes inside and out, measures your prescription precisely, and screens for disease. Passing a screening doesn’t mean your eyes are healthy; it means one narrow test came back normal.

Yes. Glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can progress for years without noticeable symptoms, and vision lost to them usually can’t be recovered. Regular exams are how we catch these conditions while they’re still treatable. This matters more with age, which is why annual exams are recommended after 65.

We screen for cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye disease, among others. An eye exam can also reveal early signs of systemic conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, since the eye is the one place blood vessels can be viewed directly without surgery.