Vision Care is a very important part your overall health care program. Seeing an eye doctor at least every couple of years will help insure the well being of your eye health as well as your vision.
Finding an optometrist can be pretty tricky, especially if this will be your first visit. Considering the price of traditional prescription eyeglasses, you want to make sure you find someone that will stand behind their prescription and if there is a problem or a mistake along the process will help sort it all out. Of course, there is Yelp, but I’ve taken the advice of a random 200 people they gave 5 stars; but I got the 1 or 2-star experience!
When it comes to my eyes I just don’t like to take chances. Once I find the right person I stick to them for a good while. This way I get the continuity of service and in time I get great prices as a reward for my loyalty!
Of course, you can go to your eye insurance provider and pick random eye care professionals in your area.
Quick Ideas on How to Research for An Optometrist
Talk to your friends and family, they may have an optometrist or even an ophthalmologist that they just love!
Get a recommendation from your primary physician or paediatrician if you have one; especially if you like your doctor you may find someone with similar style and values.
Look in your neighbourhood, find a shape and walk in, take a look around. Don’t be shy ask about the prices…how hard is it to get an appointment? ( I would say the harder the higher the chance they have something good to offer) If you spot someone coming out have a chat with them. Or, get a coffee close by, when a customer comes out, gently walk up and ask for their opinion. I think you will find that most are forthcoming and willing to tell you how it is.
Lastly, you can also call your favorite hospital in your area and ask for the ophthalmology department and get referrals; but again this lacks the personal aspect.
Whichever way works for you please remember that you can visit the office/store before you make an appointment and just get a feel for the staff and even the Optometrist if available. If you have some questions maybe you can ask him.
They usually have glasses for sale so you can easily browse and see if you like the cleanliness, the attitude of the people and the style before you commit to an appointment.
Once you have seen your eye doctor you can make your own assessment and decide if he/she is for keeps.
Contacts vs glasses? This is a highly personal question as it will depend on your eyes (your correction needs – is it age related/readers/computer?), your personality and the advice from your Optometrist/ Ophthalmologist.
For some contacts are the only way to go. For others, it’s an impossibility!
That said approximately 45 million (according to the CDC) wear contacts. And with the improvements in technology, they are getting easier and better take care of. Assuming the Optometrist/ Ophthalmologist recommends them, they can direct you to the best match for your needs – hard or soft, daily or extended wear or even multifocal lenses.
There are definitely advantages to wearing contacts that you don’t find while wearing glasses:
One of the more important benefits may be the perception of looking better as some don’t like the way they look while wearing glasses. Especially for teens – looks are so important at that age and if the glasses are not the right look – well you know.
You have more natural vision as they move with your eyes – unlimited peripheral vision you can look up, and down and still see with the power of your contacts – unlike glasses.
You can have better vision with contacts due to the proximity to your eyes. (which is the reason contacts and glasses differ in the prescription strengths prescribed)
They are great for sports – there are no problems with falling glasses, fogging or sweat slippage problems. When swimming one can use googles and still see perfectly in the water.
There is also the option of colored contact lenses, which allow the wearer to temporarily change their eye color.
Contacts are not as affected by the environment as glasses are – for example, reflection, temperature changes or dirt.
Glasses can collect dust, dirt and oil which can lower the clarity of your vision.
Glasses get foggy during temperature changes of the body or the weather.
Light from around you can decrease your visual acuity especially if you are don’t have anti-reflective coating on your glasses.
So while there are many advantages to wearing contacts there are some general disadvantages
Contacts are rather expensive – more so than glasses are today.
It takes a while to get used to wearing contacts and there is a learning curve to putting them in
More follow-up care is involved with your eye doctor – especially when you are trying on a new prescription, a new/different type of lenses or having any problems like dry eyes.
You also need to be fitted for the right pair – while glasses also need to fit well it’s not the same thing. You need a special prescription for contacts that will specify diameter and base curve components necessary for a well-fitting lens
The chance for infections are high (1 in 500) – not washing hands or not using solutions to clean lens properly between use increases the chances of contact with dirt, debris and yes, bacteria. With those wearing extended contacts being the more vulnerable to infections than daily contacts wearers
If you have high astigmatism, your vision might get blurry when the lenses rotate. (though there are special contacts for high astigmatism, they tend to be high priced)
According to some accounts if you work on the computer all day – contacts can contribute to computer eye syndrome.
People with dry eyes have a hard time with contacts – their tear ducts don’t provide enough lubrication and while the ducts can be temporarily closed to stop the draining and thereby make more liquid available to lubricate the eyes, this doesn’t work in the long run in which case for these people the use of glasses may be more comfortable and thereby better. Conversely, wearing contacts can contribute to dry eyes syndrome by restricting the amount of oxygen to the eyes
The advantages of wearing glasses are also compelling
Glasses don’t really have the limitations that contacts can have -there are no bad candidates for glasses as there are for contacts – if you have dry eyes, conjunctivitis, eye inflammation, severe eye allergies or if you have an unusual need for correction they may not give the quality of vision that a good pair of glasses would
Just wear and go – no solutions, no cleaning, changing, inserting or otherwise handling of the eyes.
Eyeglasses can limit or adjust the amount of light that your eyes are exposed to – by the use of photochromic lenses – photosensitive lenses. These also protect the eyes both inside and outside from UV rays
If you work on a computer all day you can protect your eyes from the artificial blue light from the computer(or mobile) by getting a blue light filter on your glasses lenses.
You can choose from a variety of frames – a large variety and change your style often- it’s especially IN right now to wear glasses. All types of shapes(cat-eye, round etc), colors and different frames -from really light rimless frames, too heavy stoic plastic frames- are available.
You can express yourself in ways that define your look and your personality
You can buy glasses online at very affordable prices – you no longer need to spend an arm and a leg for them AND keep the same pair for years because you did spend so much
They may not be the first choice for some sports but they do offer protection from dirt, dust and debris entering the eyes.
While some of the disadvantages of glasses have been mentioned to add a few more:
If you are one that has a strong prescription the glasses can have really thick edged lenses and this can be very unappealing. The glasses might make your eyes appear very small or very big.
It is much easier to get the wrong fitting glasses – and these can be small, too tight or even crooked and can give you headaches or other symptoms of discomfort.
In conclusion
Check with your eye care professional for advice and guidance but generally, your choice in wearing contacts versus glasses is very personal and depends on your lifestyle, prescription, eye health and even age. And while you may feel the choice is clear today as time and your body changes you might find that your needs and choices will change.
In any case, no matter your choice today it is always a good idea to have a great pair of glasses – even while out wearing the contacts you might find that your contacts need to be removed or damaged for some reason and depending on your prescription strength – your glasses might come in very handy at that point.
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If you have noticed that your vision is changing, or that you are getting headaches during the day, squinting or getting eye strain. It’s time to visit the optometrist to see if you need prescription eyeglasses, and though you probably know that you can buy glasses for cheap online visiting an eye care professional is a very good idea. In fact, getting regular eye check can also alert you of any diabetes and other seemingly unrelated serious ailments: And some eye problems may not actually have any symptoms so it’s important to make vision care part of your health care program.
and you’ve made your pick then it’s time to go for your first visit.
First thing is to simply go to the eye care professionals place of business (in the case he is an optometrist than they most likely have a store, an ophthalmologist will most likely have the typical doctors office or clinic) And feel free to bring in notepaper and make notes..or even ask if you can record your exam.
Once the doctor has asked you questions about your eye care history, any problems you might be having or your family health history. You can ask about what to expect from and during your visit?
If there is vision loss, ask if your loss is degenerative (gets worst as you get older), if the loss is in the peripheral vision and /or what is the reason of this loss?
Are there any new symptoms you should watch for? This can be related either to your vision or eye health.
Find out if there are any side effects, follow-up treatments or other long term care involved with any test that you have to take.
Find out how often you should come for an eye exam and get vision care; for your vision and eye health needs.
Vision Care Exam
If you need glasses you can then make the decision to purchase at least for the first time (or periodically) from the Optometrist; until you feel comfortable to order buy your glasses online
The optometrist will probably let you know when you can come back for a dilation test (if you have driven yourself) with a friend to drive you back home. And if there are any flyers or other information sheets be sure to pick up a few so you can learn and get more information.
