Why is a full eye examination needed, not just a refraction?
A refraction only establishes what prescription corrects your vision. It says nothing about corneal thickness, corneal shape, tear film or the health of the retina, and those are the findings that decide whether surgery is safe and which technique is appropriate.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Eligibility & assessment
- Kind of question
- Why…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
A refraction can also be normal in an eye with a condition that has not yet affected central vision. That is the case for early glaucoma, for some retinal problems, and for mild keratoconus.
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It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under The surgery journey in Eligibility & assessment . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
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This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
The UK professional body for ophthalmologists, which publishes standards and commissioning guidance for refractive surgery services.
Used for What good preoperative assessment and consent look like.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026