Examinations

What documents are required for an ophthalmological examination?

The necessary documents for an ophthalmological check-up at one of Dr. Holhoș clinics varies according to age.

•  Patients under the age of 14 must bring their birth certificate.
• Patients between 14 and 18 years of age need an identity card.
• Patients over the age of 18 can provide their ID card or passport.

These are required because the patient’s record is a medico-legal document. The birth certificate, ID card or passport are used to verify the data on the record if you are already our patient, or to fill in a new record.

At the same time, the specialists in the Dr. Holhoș network also recommend:

• Bring your eyeglasses (if you wear them) with you, along with their envelope or prescription. These will be measured.
• Remove make-up before the ophthalmological check-up.
• Do not bring your own car so that you have to drive after the check-up. Dilating drops put in the eye during the examination cause blurred vision. The effect can persist for up to 3 hours.

How often should you go for check-ups?

Dr. Holhoș team recommends an ophthalmological examination every 2 years until the age of 60. Thereafter, an annual ophthalmological examination is recommended.

You should go for an ophthalmological examination in the following situations:

• When you notice a decrease in visual acuity.
• If the parents wear glasses for myopia, hypermetropia or astigmatism, it is recommended that children have an annual ophthalmological examination. This is designed to diagnose and treat refractive errors at an early stage.
• Around the age of 40-45, short-distance reading fatigue frequently occurs. This disorder is known as presbyopia and requires the use of near vision glasses.

When should you see your eye doctor urgently?

Symptoms that indicate an ophthalmological emergency are:

•  Sudden loss of vision, with or without subsequent (total or partial) recovery.
• Observation of bright rainbow-colored circles around light sources.
• Distortion of the outline of perceived objects.
• Loss or narrowing of the visual field.
• Presence of lightning flashes or “flying flies” that appear suddenly and in large numbers.
• Trauma to the head and/or eye area.
• Sudden appearance of a black spot or curtain in the visual field.
• Presence of intense pain in the eye and orbital area, pupil dilation and redness of the eye.
• Presence of red, irritated eyes, itching, swelling of the eyelids and eye discharge.
• Exposure to chemical burns.
• Presence of a foreign object in the eye or inside the eye.

What happens during an ophthalmological examination?

The ophthalmological examination starts with a discussion with the specialist and then includes a series of procedures:

•  Carrying out specific investigations (measurement of diopters with a computerised auto refractometer, measurement of intraocular pressure, examination of the fundus)
• Analysis of the results
• Establishment of the diagnosis (*Note: If additional investigations are needed to establish the diagnosis, these can be carried out in the clinic, but the costs are not included in the price of the ophthalmological examination).
• Preparing of a medical letter (prescription of optical correction, prescription of contact lenses).

Are there different types of ophthalmological examinations?

There are several types of ophthalmological examinations, depending on the purpose of the appointment:

1. Routine ophthalmological check-up: This involves assessment of visual acuity, chromatic sense testing, measurement of intraocular pressure by tonometry and fundus examination.
2. Emergency ophthalmological examination: This type of check-up is for patients who require immediate ophthalmological assistance without an appointment in advance.
3. Ophthalmological examination for the removal of a foreign object: In this situation, the patient is locally anesthetized with drops to allow the removal of the foreign object. Generally, this examination does not require visual acuity testing or fundus examination, these are performed about a week after the eye has healed.
4. Pre-operative examination: Regardless of the surgery performed, an ophthalmological examination is required, followed by a series of investigations that vary depending to the type of ophthalmological disorder. For cataract surgery, for example, investigations may include retinal tomography, optic nerve tomography, corneal topography, biometry and ultrasound, and endothelial cell count. For Excimer laser surgery, retinal tomography, corneal topography, pachymetry and corneal epithelial layer assessment may be performed. For retinal surgery (such as vitrectomy, retinal detachment or ILM peeling), ultrasound, retinal tomography and biometry are required.
5. Optometric examination: this is done to determine the diopters of patients experiencing refractive errors. The optometric examination is performed by an optometrist and at the end of it, a prescription for glasses is issued.

*If you choose to have your glasses made within the Dr. Holhoș Ophthalmology Network, the optometric examination is free of charge.

What is the price of an ophthalmological examination?

Depending on the type of examination and investigations carried out, prices may vary. In Dr. Holhoș clinics, the prices for ophthalmological examinations are as follows:

Is it possible to have an ophthalmological examination based on referral note?

Yes, in the Dr. Holhoș ophthalmology network both adults and children can benefit from eye consultations based on a referral note from your general practitioner. You must also present an identity document and a health card.

The first step is scheduling an appointment, which can be done by phone or online – by filling out a request on our website. You need to mention that you have a referral note so that we know which doctor to schedule you with.

Currently, we have 7 ophthalmologists who provide free eye consultations:

• Dr. Alexandra Țicle – Clinic in Cluj-Napoca – 0377 702 882  
• Dr. Claudia Creț – Clinic in Alba Iulia – 0358 104 654  
• Dr. Alexandra Czika – Clinic in Mediaș – 0369 422 543  
• Dr. Loredana Schiau-Popa – Clinic in Turda – 0364 730 109  
• Dr. Flavia Vonica – Clinic in Sibiu – 0377 702 881  
• Dr. Ancuța Rusu-Badiu – Clinic in Târgu Mureș – 0365 401 747  
• Dr. Cristina Grigore – Clinic in Târgu Mureș – 0365 401 747  

The number of free ophthalmological examinations is determined by the monthly ceiling level provided by the National Health Insurance Fund.