Everyone hopes to find an eye doctor who is completely upfront and honest with their patients. However, until you find one who you trust, there are some things you should know that your doctor might not share. Keep the following 10 facts in mind when you visit the eye doctor – they could save you money and keep you healthy.
1. Not all eye tests are needed
There are some eye doctors who will administer unnecessary tests, which costs you more money. The tests you should receive during a standard eye checkup are the cover test that shows how your eye muscles work together, the eye chart test, and the refraction test where you look through a machine to determine your prescription. Unnecessary, but commonly administered tests include photographs being taken of your eyes and the visual field exam test. If your checkup costs more than $100, you are most likely paying too much.
2. If your child is squinting, they do not necessarily need glasses
Many children are prescribed glasses, even though they do not need them. It is important to take your child to a pediatric ophthalmologist, rather than a general ophthalmologist. A pediatric ophthalmologist will be able to tell better if your child’s squinting is due to a need for glasses – or a want for glasses.
3. An Optometrist is not the same as an Ophthalmologist
An optometrist can give you a prescription for glasses, whereas an ophthalmologist can treat eye disease and practice medicine. If you simply need a prescription for glasses, or have a minor irritation of the eye, such as allergies, visit the optometrist. Serious problems like vision loss should be seen by an ophthalmologist.
4. Glaucoma drops might not be safe
If you are prescribed pressure-lowering drops for glaucoma, talk to a trusted doctor about possible side effects. Keep in mind that these drops are a profitable business – and multiple kinds of drops might not be necessary for you.
5. Laser surgery results are not permanent
Although most who receive LASIK surgery initially have great results of 20/20 vision, up to 10 percent of people who receive the procedure need follow-up enhancement. If you get LASIK, you may need reading glasses as you age.
6. Some LASIK lasers are better than others
If you are considering LASIK surgery, do your research about potential surgeons and ask how often they update their lasers and perform the procedure. A surgeon should update their lasers frequently to ensure their patient’s safety. Reference the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) resources on LASIK for further information.
7. Most glasses coatings are not needed
Depending on your lifestyle and how often you will wear your glasses, extra lens coatings like anti-glare or anti-scratch are probably not necessary. Beware that many eye doctors will recommend these coatings to make extra money off you. For most people, a standard plastic lens is sufficient.
8. Buying glasses online can save you money
Keep in mind when buying glasses that most single-vision lenses cost around $1 to make, but they retail over 50 times the manufacture cost. Often times, you can find great deals online for reading glasses and versions of designer glasses.
9. You don’t have to pay to get your glasses adjusted
If your eye doctor office does not provide free glasses adjustments (many do, so ask), learn how to adjust your glasses yourself. You must be careful, but there are many great resources online that provide tutorials on how to adjust glasses.
10. Your eye doctor is lawfully required to provide you with your contact lens prescription
As of 2004, your eye doctor must give you your contact prescription, leaving you the freedom to purchase your contact lenses from any retailer you want. You do not have to buy them from your eye doctor’s office, and shopping around online will give you the best deal.