Understanding Eye Exams: What an Eye Doctor Can and Cannot See

An eye doctor cannot look behind the eyes. Eye doctors typically use a variety of instruments and techniques to examine the eyes, including external examination of the eyelids and surrounding structures, an internal examination of the front part of the eye using a slit lamp, and a dilated eye exam to examine the back of the eye (retina) using an ophthalmoscope. However, there is no way for an eye doctor to look behind the eyes.