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Attending regular eye exams should be a top priority for everyone, regardless of their age. After all, our eyes are responsible for our vision, which is arguably our most important sense. Any issues that could affect our eyes will nearly always impact our vision, and impaired sight can make our day to day life much harder than it needs to be.
Nevertheless, if you haven’t been for an eye exam in a while (and let’s face it, the current pandemic has affected all of our normal schedules), you might have forgotten what happens or if there’s anything valuable to do before you attend your appointment. To help you out, here are our top tips to prepare for your next eye exam.
Check with your practice what their current COVID-19 arrangements are
Although many optometrist offices are now re-opening and offer appointments, they must comply with certain regulations in order to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Things at their office may be very different to what you are used to. For example, remote checking in, PPE requirements, no waiting area etc. It is worth checking with your eye doctor’s office before attending to make sure that you are complying with all the necessary precautions and to find out what to expect when you arrive.
Make a note of any concerns that you have about your eyes or vision
Your eye doctor will want to start the appointment by talking to you about how you feel your eyes are performing and whether you have any concerns about your sight. When put on the spot it can be easy to forget issues that we might otherwise raise. Making a note of them before your appointment is a great idea as you can refer to this during your discussion. If you can, also note down how often you are affected, if there are any discernible patterns and what makes the issues better or worse.
Find out your family medical history
If this is the first appointment with this eye doctor, it can be helpful to provide as much information as you can about the health of your immediate family members. Many eye conditions, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts are more common amongst blood relatives, so any details you have on the health of your parents and grandparents could be very beneficial.
Remember to bring your current glasses
If you already wear glasses, it’s important that you bring these to your appointment. You eye doctor may want to assess your vision while you are wearing them, check their condition and may be able to obtain valuable information from them. If you want to use the frames again, your eye doctor will also want to check that your new lenses will work with them. For similar reasons, if you currently wear contacts, you should be sure to take them and the packaging to your appointment.
Bring your insurance card
If you have your own vision insurance or insurance/vision benefits provided by your employer, bring these details with you. This could prevent you from having to pay upfront for treatment or vision aids and will make the process of completing the necessary paperwork for your insurers much easier and less time-consuming.
For more tips on how to prepare for your next eye exam, please call (352) 702-9700 to speak to our knowledgeable team at Super Optical Express.