Going to an eye clinic can be a dreadful thing, because it means trusting someone else with your eyes. At some point, however, you can sometimes experience eyesight problems, and you will need to see an optometrist for treatment. In case that happens, what should you be looking out for when searching for an optometrist to sort out your eyesight issues? Here are a few critical factors you will need to put into consideration.
Convenience
As regards matters of convenience, it all trickles down to how hard or easy it is to arrange an appointment with an optometrist. Do you have to create some time and drive down to the eye clinic yourself, or can you log on into your online account and book the appointment at the comfort of your home or office desk? These are all options that you must weigh before deciding on an optometrist because it will determine how available he or she will be. Once you've already scheduled the first appointment, some optometrists will even send you a text message to remind you of the appointment beforehand. In most cases, being able to book appointments online saves time, allowing you to spend more quality time with the optometrist.
Automation of patient data
Optometrists who maintain patient data in large computer databases are able to track your entire medical history and keep it secure for only authorized personnel to access. Ask the eye clinic personnel how your information will be secured, e.g. using passwords, via encryption, etc.
Several optometrists also maintain a patient portal, where you can get access to your medical information anytime, allowing you to book appointments, check laboratory tests results, request for more prescription drugs, and post questions to your optometrists online.
Eye tests and exams
Every time you make a visit to the eye clinic, you should expect the optometrist to check your vision through tests or exams. This may include testing if you are able to see well in 3D and in different image resolutions and color perceptions through vision screening. In some cases, vision testing will involve asking the patient to do something as simple as reading some letters from a chart as the optometrist holds it at different distances from the eyes. Optometrists usually also perform a series of different eye exams depending on age and patient-specific conditions, e.g. diabetes, glaucoma and corneal diseases. Hence, you should expect a good optometrist to at least conduct some form of test or exam on your eyes when you visit them. This way, they can obtain a clear view of what's happening with your eyes.
For more information, contact a local eye clinic.
