Jersey City · Open seven days
Thirty minutes that check far more than your prescription
A comprehensive eye exam with Dr. Ravi Raithatha, OD, inside Target Optical at Newport. Walk in today, or book a time that suits you.
Which appointment do you need?
Three different visits, depending on what you wear and what you want checked. Not sure which one? Call and we will tell you.
Comprehensive eye exam
About 30 minutes
- Vision and refraction, each eye separately
- Eye pressure and optic nerve
- Dilated retinal examination
- Front-of-eye and tear film check
Contact lens exam
About 45 minutes
- Everything in the comprehensive exam
- Corneal measurements and fitting
- Base curve, diameter and material
- Trial lenses and a follow-up check
Children’s eye exam
About 30 minutes
- Age-appropriate vision testing
- Eye teaming and focusing
- Checks that do not need reading
- School and sports requirements
What happens
Most of the exam is looking for what has no symptoms
People book an eye exam to find out whether their prescription has changed. That is the smallest part of what I do in the chair. Half of people with glaucoma do not know they have it, and diabetic retinopathy does its early damage without any change you would notice.
- Vision and refractionHow much detail each eye resolves, and the lens power that gets you there.
- Eye pressureSeconds to measure. It screens for a condition with no sensation at all.
- Optic nerve and retinaExamined directly, dilated. Where glaucoma and diabetes show first.
- Front of the eyeLids, cornea and tear film under magnification. Where dry eye shows up.
Dilation
Why we dilate, and what it is like afterwards
Dilating drops widen the pupil so the retina and optic nerve can be examined properly instead of glimpsed through a small opening. It is the difference between checking the whole back of the eye and checking the middle of it.
Vision goes blurry up close and lights look bright for a couple of hours. Most people walk home or take the PATH. If you drive, bring sunglasses or bring someone with you, and tell me at the start so we can work around it.
A dilated exam is the only way to find glaucoma early. That is the National Eye Institute’s position, which is why I do not treat it as an optional extra for anyone over 60, anyone with diabetes, or anyone with a family history.
What patients say
★★★★★“Excellent doctor, Dr. Raithatha. Extremely thorough, helped me with my vision and also helped spot an eye issue that he referred me to another MD to care for.”
Lorena D.Google review
★★★★★“Dr. Raithatha was kind and efficient. He was very thorough, and took his time explaining every part of the exam to me. He made sure all my questions were answered.”
Migdalua A.Google review
★★★★★“Every aspect of the examination was thoroughly described by Dr. Raithatha. The exam was quick and accurate. I never felt rushed because of the staff’s professionalism and friendliness.”
Jessica P.Google review
Your optometrist
Dr. Ravi Raithatha, OD
Owner and lead optometrist
One visit tells me where you are. A series tells me whether anything is changing, and change is what I make decisions on.
I see patients seven days a week at our Jersey City practice. My two clinical interests are glaucoma and dry eye, which is to say the two things most likely to be quietly going on while someone tells me their eyes are fine.
If glaucoma runs in your family, tell me when you book. It changes what I test and how closely I track it year to year, and it is the risk factor patients most often forget to mention. Read the full profile.
Before you come in
The questions we get asked most, answered properly.
Common questions
Can you just walk into an eye doctor?
At this practice, yes. We take walk-ins seven days a week and you do not need an appointment. Booking ahead usually means less waiting, and it is worth calling if you want a particular time of day, but you are welcome to come in.
How much is an eye exam in NJ without insurance?
It depends on what the exam has to cover, and a contact lens fitting is priced separately from a standard exam. We accept most medical and vision plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Call with your plan details and we will tell you what yours will be before you come in. Our guide to eye exam costs in Jersey City breaks down what affects the price.
Is there a difference between an eye doctor and an optometrist?
An optometrist is an eye doctor. The term covers both optometrists and ophthalmologists, who train differently and do different work. An optometrist handles exams, prescriptions, and the diagnosis and management of eye disease. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who also performs surgery. We have set out which one you need in our guide to optometrists versus ophthalmologists.
How long does an eye exam take?
About 30 minutes for a comprehensive exam, or 45 if you are being fitted for contact lenses. If your eyes are dilated, allow a couple of hours afterwards before close work is comfortable again.
What should I bring?
Your current glasses even if you have stopped wearing them, your old prescription if you have it, your insurance card, and a list of any medicines you take. If you wear contact lenses, bring the boxes or a photograph of them, because the brand, base curve and diameter all matter and none of them appear on a glasses prescription.
Finding us
100 14th Street
Jersey City, NJ 07310
Inside Target Optical, Newport
Two minutes from Newport PATH, with parking on site. We see patients from Newport, Downtown, Journal Square, the Heights and across Hudson County.
Office hours
Book your eye exam
We confirm every request by email. Or just walk in, seven days a week.