What You Should Tell Your Vision Tester

By Carmella Watts


An annual check-up of your vision is usually the standard recommendation. For people who have yet to visit a vision tester there are several things that it might be useful to tell them, that assuming they do not ask. During the consultation usually the eye doctor will spend a few minutes going over things like general health, past history of illness and normally an eye exam is involved too.

When you first chat with the eye doctor they need to be told about you general health. If you have certain medical conditions like allergies, diabetes, or high blood pressure, these should be explained. Women who are pregnant need to speak up too, as the eyes can be affected by all manner of health issues and changes to the body.

As much as the doctor needs to know the present health record of a patient, they also should know their past, and this goes for illnesses within the family. What may seem fairly mundane things might be of great importance to visual health. Things like glaucoma, macular degeneration and past history of other eye problems could be inherited. The chances of getting these yourself may also be increased, meaning the doctor will most probably be looking for them in an exam. If you have had eye surgery in the past or any trauma related to the eyes that should be explained too.

It might seem rather obvious, but many people do not tell their doctor about changes in their vision. If you notice things changing, becoming blurred, or an increase in spots or floaters, it could mean your eyes need attention. Things that may seem trivial, such as flashes of light or blurriness, should also be reported. They will investigate the problem and try to diagnose the cause, and hopefully help eradicate the problem. If you wear glasses or contact lenses it's best to bring them along too, as well as prescription sunglasses.

Before the doctor prescribes any medication, he'll most likely need to know if you're taking anything at the moment. However trivial things such as aspirin may seem, it's always better to give the doctor the information, and let them make up their own mind. The same goes if you're taking prescription medication, as these may potentially effect vision.

Something that you might not think is your doctor's concern is your present lifestyle. However, the issue of social life, alcohol consumption and smoking really can have an affect on vision. Another aspect of lifestyle is occupation. Some occupations mean people spend long hours staring at a computer screen or reading electronic books, or even regular paperback books. This will all be taken into account during the appointment.

Anyone wearing contact lenses should discuss their current eye-wear too. It's vital that the eye specialist know how long they are being worn, when they are cleaned, if they are slept in and if you swim in them.

A vision tester is sometimes only as good as the knowledge they get from a patient. If they have information on your lifestyle, habits and family history they should be able to provide better medical care and hopefully catch any eye problems before they deteriorate.




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