15 Questions to Ask Your Eye Doctor
Whether you're preparing for your first eye exam or simply want to get the most from your annual checkup, it’s essential to know the best questions to ask during your visit. We’ve compiled these top questions to ask your eye doctor, so bookmark this page and pull it up before your next optometrist visit!
Questions to Ask Before Your Visit
Before you visit us at Visionworks, take time to gather your thoughts and consider these seven essential questions and answers so you know what to expect.
1. What Does a Basic Eye Exam Involve?
What happens during an eye exam? Your first eye exam includes vision tests, eye examinations (which may include eye dilation) and measurements to determine your glasses or contact lens prescription. You might also opt for a digital retinal imaging exam so your doctor can examine your retina more deeply.
Your optometrist is the best person to guide you through the process and help you understand exactly what to expect.
2. How Much Does an Eye Exam Cost?
Eye exam prices vary depending on your vision care provider and location. Luckily, Visionworks can help ease your financial anxiety. We accept thousands of insurance plans, and our team is here to answer any billing questions you might have.
We provide CareCredit as well as Affirm financing so you can get the glasses, contacts and sunglasses you need with affordable monthly payments.
3. What Should I Bring to My Exam?
Ensure your appointment runs smoothly with no hiccups by having your documents ready. Here’s a list of essentials to gather before your appointment:
- Vision insurance card
- Government-issued picture ID
- Your prescribed glasses
- Your current prescription
- Sunglasses (to wear after eye dilation)
- Your current contact lenses
4. Should I Wear My Contacts to an Eye Exam?
Some optometrists prefer you wear prescribed contact lenses to your exam so they can evaluate the fit and vision correction and make any needed adjustments. However, if you’re not sure whether to wear contact lenses or not, ask your doctor’s office when making your appointment.
Your doctor might ask you to take contacts off before a routine test to assess how well your eyes function independently.
5. Can I Use Vision Benefits on New Glasses?
Yes, you can use your vision benefits to purchase a new pair of glasses, provided you have enough coverage and your prescription is up-to-date.
If you’re not satisfied with your selection, at Visionworks you have up to 100 days to exchange prescription glasses. Our 100-Day guarantee ensures you obtain the glasses that suit you best.
6. What Happens if the Doctor Dilates My Eyes?
Sometimes during an eye exam, your optometrist may use eye drops to dilate your eyes in order to examine your retina and internal eye structure. Dilation temporarily increases light sensitivity and blurs vision for a few hours during and after your appointment.
If you have questions—such as “Can I wear contacts after dilation?”—ask your optometrist for advice during your eye exam.
7. How often Do I Need to See my Eye Doctor?
Eye exam frequency varies depending on your eye health and family history. The American Optometric Association recommends that individuals receive an eye exam at least once a year or as directed by their eye doctor. During your visit, ask your doctor how often to schedule an exam. Our friendly Associates are happy to help you make your next appointment.
Questions to Ask Your Eye Doctor
Now that you’ve scheduled your appointment and begun preparations, consider asking the following eye exam questions to get an in-depth understanding of your eye health and learn how to proactively protect your vision.
8. What Do My Results Indicate?
Your eye exam results provide meaningful insight into the current condition of your eyesight, including indications about your overall health. Once you’ve completed your exam, ask your optometrist to discuss your results in detail.
Ask questions to determine how you can protect your eyesight from illness or disease.
9. What Is My Visual Acuity?
While an annual eye exam checks overall eye health, everyone wants to know how well they can see—their visual acuity. One visual acuity test uses the Snellen Chart, a highly recognized chart with letters ranging from large to small. This test indicates a key aspect of your optical clarity and influences part of your prescription. Additional tests may be needed if you need visual correction to see things up close. Ask your eye doctor about your prescription and whether you’re near or farsighted.
10. What Eyesight Changes Might I Notice Over Time?
As you age, you may notice normal changes that require care, like presbyopia, floaters or dry eyes. Feeling anxious about these changes is natural, but a conversation with your optometrist can keep your concerns at bay.
Ask your eye care doctor to explain what vision changes typically occur over time and which require treatment or lifestyle changes.
11. What Can I Do to Improve My Overall Eye Health?
Simple ways to improve eye health include wearing prescription sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and incorporating the best foods for eye health into your daily diet.
When people think about improving their eye health, they may initially think of ways to reduce or “reverse” their prescription. Many other components go into improving overall eye health. To get the best help from your doctor, be honest about your lifestyle and general health.
12. Can I Switch to Contacts?
Maybe you’ve grown tired of wearing glasses or want more flexibility. Ask your doctor about making a switch to contacts. While you can certainly make the switch, it might take some time to get used to them if you’re using them for the first time.
Your eyes might experience temporary blurriness and itchiness with contacts—a normal part of the switch. Once you’re ready, ask your doctor about what’s involved in moving to contacts.
13. Are Glasses or Contact Lenses Better for My Eyes?
It's not always an either/or scenario; there are pros and cons to both eyeglasses and contacts. When deciding which to choose, ask your eye doctor whether glasses or contact lenses are better for your specific needs.
14. How Do I Clean My Contacts?
If you wear monthly contact lenses, you must clean them regularly to protect your vision from infections. Talk with your optometrist regarding your questions or concerns about the contact cleaning process.
15. Are Blue Light Glasses for Me?
Blue light filtering glasses have become increasingly popular to help combat digital eye strain. If you’re dealing with eye fatigue, your eye doctor can explain your options in detail and determine the best course of action. Ask your eye doctor about blue light filtering lenses like our Smart Screen lenses or SunSync® light-reactive lenses to reduce blue light exposure.
4 Tips to Prepare for a Better Eye Appointment
Here are extra tips to make the most of your visit.
1. Make an Eye Journal
In the weeks leading up to your eye appointment, track anything unusual like dry eye, floaters or eye irritation. It’s also wise to track your daily screen time if you spend a lot of time on digital devices or watching TV. Also consider your diet in light of how nutrition can affect eye health.
2. Bring Your Updated Medical History
Ask your family if you have any history of vision problems as well. Many eye problems are hereditary, so knowing your family history helps your doctor determine what’s best for you.
3. Have a Friend or Family Member Join You
Sometimes, a visit to the eye doctor can make people feel anxious or worried because the experience is new or unfamiliar. Having a friend or family member join you for your eye appointment can give you a supportive presence and help reduce stress.
You may suspect you have a vision issue or don’t know what to expect after eye dilation. If so, having someone else drive you to and from your appointment is best.
4. Ask about Prescription Safety Glasses
Manufacturers design custom safety eyewear to protect your vision. These glasses or goggles help if you work in construction, manufacturing or any industry with exposure to particles and harmful chemicals. If you operate in a hazardous environment, ask your optometrist which safety eyewear can provide you the most eyesight protection on the job.
You Have Eye Health Questions. Visionworks Has Answers!
We can't overstate the importance of annual eye exams, and to get the most benefit, don’t be afraid to ask questions. At Visionworks, our team is dedicated to answering all your questions as a key part of meeting your eye health needs.
Find a Visionworks store near you to make an appointment for your eye exam, or stop in to ask about our special offers on glasses and contacts.
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Information received through Visionworks® content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Claims regarding blue light efficiency are supported by manufacturer-provided test results.
