My Eye Exam Is Tomorrow. What Should I Bring?

25-02-2020

Do you have an “eye exam near me” happening tomorrow? If your last eye appointment was over a year ago, it’s time to get your vision checked. And preparing for your appointment is an excellent way to make it go faster and more efficiently.

If you’ve been asking yourself, ‘What should I bring to my eye exam tomorrow?’, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at what our eye doctors have to say.

What should I bring to my eye exam?

There’s no need to fret about preparing for your eye exam. Basic eye exams are essential to your health--and fundamental for your eye doctor, who can diagnose you for many kinds of optical issues.

Here’s what you should bring to your eye exam:

Your Vision Insurance Card and Driver’s License: To verify your coverage, you’ll need a copy of your insurance card. Your driver’s license or other photo I.D. is also essential.
Your Eyewear: Bring your contacts or glasses along when you see the eye doctor. They’ll inspect your eyewear--and prescription--for any necessary changes.
Your Eye Drops and Other Medications: If you take medications of any kind, prescription or not, take them (or a list of them with the dosages) to your eye appointment. This is important to bring to your eye exam because the optometrist will need to verify any new medications they prescribe won’t affect your existing ones. Knowing your medications will also enable your eye doctor to check for potential side effects.
A Detailed List of Your Vision Loss Symptoms: From blurry vision to squinting, there are many signs you need glasses. Write down any symptoms you have so that your eye doctor can make a proper diagnosis.
A Write-Up of Your Immediate Family’s Medical History: Turn to your grandparents, parents, and siblings. Ask them about their history with eye conditions, such as refractive errors (e.g., astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness, and presbyopia) and other health issues (e.g., diabetes and high blood pressure). The more information you can give your eye doctor about what health conditions run in your family, the better they can assess your eyes.

What do I need to do before my basic eye exam?

With your eye appointment coming up, it’s worth it to take some time to get ready. Knowing a few pointers can save you time, so we put together some quick suggestions to help you out. Start with these:

Rest your eyes before the eye exam.
Steer clear of alcohol and coffee before the eye appointment.
Insert your soft contact lenses before putting on any makeup (or wait until after your makeup is on before applying hard contacts).
Write down any questions for the eye doctor.

Summary: What should I take to my eye doctor appointment?

Preparing for a basic eye exam can be fast and simple. Have you been wondering, ‘What should I bring to my eye exam?’ If so, start small. We recommend taking along your insurance, photo I.D., eyewear, medications, and notes on your family’s medical history and your symptoms of deteriorating vision.

Before you attend your eye doctor appointment, you should also rest your eyes, stay away from alcohol and coffee, and put in your contact lenses before or after applying your makeup, depending on the type of contact lens you wear. As always, you can bring questions or concerns to your optometrist.

Eye exams are critical for your vision health, and planning an annual appointment can keep you informed on how your vision is going.