No one enjoys visiting any type of doctor, but the fact of the matter is that it is unavoidable. There are many different specialists, there are doctors for almost every part of the body as well we specific types of ailments. Several of these specialists will be needed at some point in the average person’s life. This can include any combination of the many different types of physicians. For example, a new baby in the family will warrant the addition of a pediatrician. A girl entering adolescence will need to begin seeing a gynecologist. If someone begins having trouble hearing, they will see an audiologist or an otolaryngologist. Someone experiencing problems with their eyesight will need to visit an optometrist. The latter is the type of doctor we will be discussing here. A first visit to the optometrist can often feel intimidating, maybe even right down scary. This is especially true for those who have never been to an optometrist before. There are several large machines, charts all over the walls, lights begin shinned into your eyes, eye drops, dim lighting. It can all be overwhelming, especially if you do not know what to expect. Here, you will find tips to help you prepare for your first visit to the optometrist. Some of these tips will be relevant for any visit, regardless of how many times you have been to an optometrist.
The first tip is to educate yourself on average eye exams. Once you know what is going to happen, everything will become a bit less scary. Here is a brief break down of a typical optometrist appointment. As with anything, the appointment will begin with paperwork. You will need to fill in personal details such as medications that you currently taking, what you are being treated for, phone number, who your doctor is, address, doctor’s phone number, and other relevant information. There will also be a section to describe any problems you are having with your eyes. This will include anything from chronic dry eyes to double vision and everything in between. After you are done with the paperwork, you will have a short wait and then the appointment will begin in full force. You will go into an exam room just like with any other doctor. Many eye doctors use a tool that blows a puff of air into each eye. The doctor will put a magnification machine up to your face and ask you to read lines on a chart. Based on how that goes, they will then show you different magnifications and ask you which one allows you to see more clearly. After this, you optometrist may want to dilate your eyes. this may sound scary, but it is actually quite simple. The doctor or a nurse will put some drops in your eyes and ask you to wait for a few minutes. This is to allow the drops to do their job. What these drops do is widen your pupils so that the doctor can see different parts of your eyes. This process will make your vision fuzzy for a while, but it will wear off after a while. After the drops have taken effect, the doctor will then use a light to look into your eyes one at a time. After this, the visit will be over unless a problem arises which is not terribly likely.
The next tip is to prepare before heading to the appointment. There are several ways you can prepare for a visit to the eye doctor, many of these are transferable to any type of doctor. The first way you can prepare is to gather any and all documents that you will need such as insurance cards. If you have a recommendation document from another physician or any relevant documents from other doctors. You may not need them, but if you think that there is any chance that you will, it is best to go ahead and take them with you. If you have several papers that you need to keep together, it is a good idea to place them all in an envelope together. If the documents should not be bent, use a manila envelope. Another thing that should be placed on the envelope is a list of any questions, concerns, or symptoms that you want to remember to discuss with the doctor. When making this list, take your time and be thorough. Decide on questions that you want to ask first. It is incredibly easy to get flustered and forget what you wanted to ask once you are actually at the appointment, by deciding on questions beforehand and writing them down, you can ensure that you will remember. Then, make a list of any problems, symptoms, or issues that you have been experiencing. Finally, if there is anything else you want to make sure that you bring up, make another list. Place all of this in the envelope with your documents and place the envelope somewhere you will see it as you are leaving.
Finally, the last tip revolves around scheduling. When you are in a hurry to get an appointment, it is easy to just take the first appointment that is offered to you. There are times when this is necessary, but if you have a choice, it is not a good idea. If the appointment is not an emergent, take your time and set an appointment that will conform well to your normal schedule. The best time to set an appointment is on a day that you do not have to rush before or after the appointment. It is quite common for an optometrist to have a full waiting room which means that you may have to wait for a while before you are seen by the doctor. When this happens, you do not want to be stressing out over needing to be somewhere else. Also, if you are no a morning person, do not set an appointment for first thing in the morning. If you do not like being out of the evening, do not make a late appointment. In other words, make sure that your appointment time suits your needs.
