Need to have your eyes checked, but feeling a little intimidated? Don’t be! We understand that a first exam with a new doctor can be a little scary. But it doesn’t have to be! Here is everything you need to know to be ready for your first eye exam.

When should I arrive?

If possible, arrive 10-15 minutes early to your first appointment. This will give you a chance to fill out your new patient forms and get comfortable in our office. If you’d like to save a little time or are on a tight schedule (we totally get it!) and concerned about arriving early you can download your new patient forms here and fill them out prior to your appointment.

What should I bring?

Bring your new patient forms, a form of ID and your insurance card to your appointment. But also come prepared to answer the following questions in your conversation with your doctor:

-Do you have any allergies?

-Are you currently taking any medications?

-Do you currently wear eyeglasses?

-Have you had any eye surgeries?

-Have you noticed any problems with your vision?

Please feel free to also come prepared with any and all questions you have for your doctor. (Pro tip: I find it helpful to write down questions I have in the days leading up to my appointments. If not, I tend to forget some of the things I meant to ask.) If there is anything that concerns you about your vision this appointment is a great time to bring it up! There are no wrong questions, our doctors are here to help.

What happens during the exam?

Your exam is about more than just fitting you with the proper prescription (and some killer frames!) if needed. It’s also about making sure your entire visual system is functioning properly– from your brain down to your eyeballs! In order to give you the best possible care you will receive a variety of tests. All of which are simple and painless.

The first part of your exam will be performed by our technician (she is equivalent to the medical assistant you would see at your primary care doctor when you get your blood pressure, weight etc. measured prior to your exam). She will perform all the pre-testing and get you situated in your exam room. Once in the exam room you will be joined by either Dr. Suorsa or Dr. Miller who will complete your eye exam. Each exam is different based on the individual needs of the patient. However, some common testing that you MAY experience are:

• Visual Acuity Test: For this test you will be asked to read letters in an eye chart (known as an Snellen Chart) where the letters get progressively smaller.
• Visual Field Test: This tests your peripheral vision and may be done manually with the Doctor slowly moving an object in and out of your visual field to test your ability to see the object in your peripherals.
• Slit Lamp Examination: Your doctor will use a light and lens to view the front parts of your eye: eyelid, eyelashes, cornea, lens, iris, and fluid chamber.
• Dilation:  Your eye doctor may use eye drops to increase the size of your pupils, which makes it easier to examine your retina. 
• OCT screening: OCT ( which stands for optical coherence tomography) helps your doctor examine the health of your optic nerve and check for other conditions of the eye. 
• Glaucoma screening: This test checks the pressure in your eye. High pressure can be a warning sign for glaucoma so this simple test will help the doctor determine whether that may be a concern for you.