Q: How often should I have my eyes examined? "I can see fine - why should I get an eye exam?
The doctors recommend a yearly comprehensive eye examination. A comprehensive exam evaluates not only how you are seeing but also how healthy your eyes are. The first portion of the exam measures how you see (your "acuity") with or without your glasses/contacts, how your eyes team together (binocularity) and a refraction (determination of your eyeglass prescription). The second and most important part of the examination is an assessment of your ocular health. The doctors take into account your overall medical health when evaluating the external and internal structures of the eye. The doctors have found signs of such serious conditions as diabetes and brain tumors in patients who simply came in for "routine eye exams."
Q: The optician recommended that I choose a really small frame. Don’t I need a large frame for my prescription? Will I still have good side vision through such a small frame?
The optician will help you choose the smallest frame that appropriately fits your face and maximizes your prescription.
A quick lesson in optics: A prescription is precisely ground into the center portion of the lens that is sitting directly in front of your pupil -this is called the optical center of the lens. As you move away from the optical center of the lens, the prescription is not as "true" so basically it’s wasted lens material that is just adding a lot of extra weight and thickness to the lens. So when it comes to glasses, smaller frames will always give you a thinner and lighter lens prescription without compromising any of your peripheral vision. Remember, peripheral vision is designed to help you detect motion, not to see 20/20, so the prescription doesn’t correct your peripheral vision. Of course, the first few days that you wear your smaller frame, you may be aware of seeing the outline of the frame-don’t worry, your brain will learn to ignore this!
Q: I found the doctors’ names listed in my insurance booklet. Will you explain what my insurance covers for the eye exam and glasses/contacts?
Your best source of benefits and eligibility information is the human resource department of your employer. Many insurance companies require that your visit to the office be "pre-authorized" and in some cases require a referral from your primary care doctor’s office . We will certainly be happy to walk you through the process to the best of our ability as we do understand the complexities of medical and vision insurance claims and benefits. However, the patient is ultimately responsible for understanding his/her insurance policy.
If you need more information or have other questions, please call our office today!
