Seeing an optometrist for the first time can be nerve-racking. Your eyes are a very important feature of your body, and you want to make sure they are taken care of properly by a professional. While most eye care providers are good at their job, you want to look for someone who goes above and beyond to make you feel safe in their care.
If you’re nervous about seeing the eye doctor, then take a look below at what should happen when you’re at their office:
Patient History
Any professional eye doctor in Murfreesboro, TN will ask you about your general health, family history of eye disease, and family history of any other disease. They are not going to just ask you about your eyes, but about cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many other common illnesses that can affect the eyes, too.
Vision Test
Once your history has been taken, your doctor will look over the paperwork before they see you. Then they will take you back into a room where they will test your vision. Your doctor is going to check both your close-up and distance vision. You’ll read from a chart with random letters and potentially numbers. Your doctor might also test other aspects of your vision, such as your ability to see in three dimensions, your side vision or peripheral vision, and your color perception.
Tonometry
This is a test that most people are afraid to get while they’re at the eye doctor, but there’s nothing to be afraid of! This is simply testing the pressure in the eye with a puff of air or a device that’s medically known as a tonometer. This test is to be sure you don’t have glaucoma developing.
Eye Exam
The eye exam is different from the vision test. Your doctor is going to closely examine the different areas of your eyes. You might need some drops to dilate your eyes and make your pupils wide. Don’t worry, as that will go away after half an hour or so. This helps your doctor get a clear view of the inside of your eyes. Dilation makes the eye sensitive to light for a few hours, so you need to wear sunglasses until the effects wear off. You might need a ride home after this, so be sure to have someone available.
Having an eye exam performed by a professional eye doctor can detect certain diseases early on, such as diabetes, glaucoma, high blood pressure, and even arthritis. If your doctor finds something unusual, you might need a follow-up with a general practitioner.
If you are going to the doctor for the first time, you might want to allow for a few hours for the exam. That includes the time it takes to have the exam completed and being fitted for your glasses if you need them. Contact McCabe Vision Center schedule an appointment!
