Why Choose Palm Beach Eye Center
Office Information
F.A.Q. Section
Frequent Questions
- 1.Why should I have my eyes examined regularly?
By having regular eye exams, your eye care doctor can more readily detect potential problems and prescribe proper treatments to prevent vision loss. Don't determine the need for an eye exam on whether or not you are seeing relatively well as many eye diseases are undetectable by the patient until severe vision loss has occurred.
- 2.What is an acceptable frequency for eye exams?
As a rule, you should not go beyond one year to have your eyes examined, and the recommended care is an exam every year. Those with a family history of eye diseases, diabetic patients, those with glaucoma, and anyone whose general health is poor or who are taking medications that may have potential side effects to the eye may need to have their eyes examined more frequently. You and your doctor should determine the eye exam schedule that best meets your eye care needs.
- 3.What should I bring to my appointment?
Please bring your insurance card and photo identification, your present prescription glasses, and if you are a new patient, any records of your previous eye examinations if done elsewhere. This is especially important if you have been treated for any eye condition in the past and more so, if you are interested in a second opinion. It is also important to have a list of all your medications and in particular any eye drops you are using. It is advisable to bring sunglasses and a driver if you are being dilated during the appointment.
- 4.When should my child have his or her first eye exam?
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Most children should have their first regular eye exam at 6 months. Follow up exams should be done around age two to three because this is the age when a child's visual system undergoes its most rapid development, and when vision correction is most effective. As much as 3% of children in the United States have vision loss from amblyopia (lazy eye) that could be prevented with this exam schedule.
- 5.How frequently should children's eyes be examined after their initial exam?
As with adults, children's eyes should be examined every year - or more frequently if there is an eye or vision problem or a family history of eye disease. School children use their eyes more frequently than adults to read and perform other school activities, so it's important for them to have regular eye exams.
- 6.Do I need a special eye exam as I get close to, or past, age 40?
You don't need a special eye exam over age 40, but it's important that you have your regular eye exam at least every year. As we get older, we are more susceptible to certain eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachments, and macular degeneration.
Getting your eyes regularly examined enables your eye care doctor to detect the first signs of disease and prescribe the appropriate treatments to prevent vision loss.- 7.What are the differences between an optometrist, an ophthalmologist and optician?
An optometrist is a doctor of optometry who examines patients in order to diagnose, treat, manage and prevent diseases and disorders of the eye and visual system and its related structures. An ophthalmologist is a physician who, upon graduation from medical school, undertakes several years or more of post-graduate training in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye. As well as diagnosing and treating ocular disease either by medical or surgical means, ophthalmologists may also offer oculo-visual assessment, which includes prescription for corrective lenses. An optician provides, fits and adjusts eyeglasses, contact lenses or subnormal vision devices on the prescription of an optometrist or physician.
- 8.Am I entitled to a copy of my prescription after my eye examination?
The prescription derived from an eye examination belongs to the patient and an eye doctor must provide the prescription to the patient upon request. The first copy of a prescription is included as part of the fee for examination. A fee may be charged for duplicate copies of the same prescription.
A contact lens prescription must also be issued upon the request of a patient when clinically appropriate and current contact lens fitting details are known. A contact lens fitting exam and, in some cases, follow-up visits may need to be performed in order to obtain the data necessary to create a contact lens prescription.- 9.How do I know that I am receiving good vision care?
The eye physicians at Palm Beach Eye Center are highly trained and have demonstrated the required knowledge, skill and judgment to become board certified and/or complete their advanced training. Further, they must demonstrate a commitment to continuing competence in order to maintain their registration. You should expect that the eye care you receive meets the standards of practice.
A complete examination will usually include the following components, although variations may occur because of patient age, abilities, and general health and eye conditions:
- a health history with emphasis on eyes and vision, including vision needs
- measurement of visual acuity (for example 20/20)
- measurement of refractive error (for example far-sightedness, near- sightedness, astigmatism)
- determination of the alignment of the eyes
- determination of the way the eyes adjust focus from distance to near
- examination of the eyes for any disease or abnormalities
- a diagnosis from the results of the examination
- recommendations for any treatment required, which may include referral to another health care provider
- provision of a prescription or treatment plan for vision correction if required
- any counseling or advice that is necessary, including need for future vision care.
You should also expect that your examination will be provided provided in a manner that maintains the confidentiality of your health information, and provides you with the information and freedom you need for making informed decisions about your health care.
If you receive treatment services such as eyeglasses or contact lenses, you should expect to be informed of the cost prior to the provision of the service and you should expect the cost of materials to be indicated on your receipt. In the end, you should be satisfied that the care you receive has been appropriate for you.- 10.Why are eye drops used sometimes?
Eye drops that dilate the pupils, called mydriatics, are used in some examinations to enable the doctor to get a better view of the inside of the eye. How often this type of examination is necessary depends on the patients symptoms, age, health, and family history. The drops generally leave your eyes a little blurry and sensitive to light, so you may not be able to drive immediately after this procedure. The effect of the drops wears off in 2 to 6 hours.
Eye drops that relax the focus of the eyes, called cycloplegics are used to accurately measure the degree of far-sightedness of the eyes. These are generally used for children and young adults. These drops also leave the eyes blurry and sensitive to light.
Eye drops to anesthetize (numb) the eye are used for procedures that require an instrument touching the eye. The anesthetic does not affect vision and lasts about 15 minutes. Some eye drops contain a dye that helps the doctor diagnose abnormalities of the surface of the eye.
