Questions You Should Be Asking Your Eye Doctor

Preparing for your eye exam ahead of time can help you best understand your vision health. Here are some questions recommended by our doctors that you can consider when you visit Dr. Tavel.

How often should I have an eye exam?

Yearly checkups are recommended by your primary care doctor, and the yearly visit to the dentist keeps our teeth healthy. Eye health is just as important! During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor can observe and evaluate the health and condition of the blood vessels in your retina, which are a good predictor of the health of blood vessels throughout your body. Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia all are visible by changes in the appearance of the retinal blood supply and blood vessels. Early diagnosis can make a big difference in treating these conditions and decreasing costs.

Does my new medication affect my eyes?

Knowing your medical history and how medications might affect your eyes or general health is important information during an eye exam. If you are taking any new medication, your eye doctor can take that into consideration since some medications could affect your eyes. Letting your eye doctor know about any over the counter medicines you’re taking can help them during the exam as well.

Who do I go see if I have a medical condition with my eye?

For routine eye exams, disease diagnosis and general eye care can typically be treated by our optometrists. However, our eye doctors will help point you in the right direction if you need to see a different doctor or a specialist. If you have a life-threatening emergency, do not wait for an appointment and head to the ER as soon as possible.

Are there new contact lenses I should be aware of?

The technology for contacts has evolved so much in the last decade, there are other new contact lens advancements entering the marketplace all the time. Don’t be afraid to ask your eye doctor if any of these new options can be beneficial for you.

Education is important