Top questions to ask your eye doctor during an exam
Eye exams ensure clear vision, detect eye diseases early and preserve your eye health. To get the most out of your visit, it’s helpful to ask your eye doctor questions. Be ready for your next exam, so you can understand your prescription, learn about your eye conditions and make informed decisions.
Learning how your eyes work can help you detect issues and bring them to your doctor’s attention before they become serious. You can also ask for personalized advice during your exam. Your doctor can answer questions, such as:
- What your prescription means about your vision
- How healthy your eyes look
- What is your risk for conditions that run in your family
- How to detect diseases early
- Whether you have health indicators pointing to diabetes or high blood pressure
- How your medications affect your vision
Questions about your eye health
By discussing your concerns and asking specific questions, you can aid your doctor in understanding your vision and eyes. They can better identify early warning signs and provide correction or start treatment before a condition progresses.
How healthy are my eyes right now?
Asking your eye doctor about the health of your eyes lets you know whether there are any concerns to address. Your doctor will look for early signs of any eye issues. If you’re older, these could include glaucoma and cataracts.
If you have a family history of an eye disease, your doctor can share which symptoms to watch for so you can get prompt treatment. They can also let you know if lifestyle changes are needed.
Questions to ask your eye doctor: “How healthy are my eyes, and am I at risk for any eye conditions?”
What can I do to keep my eyes healthy?
Asking what you can do to keep your eyes healthy will help you make better lifestyle decisions. Ask about simple tips that will help prevent trouble down the road. If you are at risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), you may need to begin wearing ultraviolet (UV)-protective sunglasses or add particular foods to your diet, such as leafy greens or foods rich in omega-3.
By asking thoughtful questions and staying engaged with your eye doctor, you take an active role in protecting your vision. Regular communication ensures you’re aware of any risks and doing everything you can to maintain the health of your eyes.
Question to ask your eye doctor: “Based on my exam results, what steps can I take to keep my eyes healthy?”
READ MORE: What your eye doctor can tell about your heart health
Are my screen habits hurting my eyes?
Your screen time might be affecting your eyes and vision. Looking at digital screens for long periods can result in eyestrain. Symptoms include dry eyes, blurred vision and headaches. Be honest with your doctor about how much time you spend on screens. Share any eye discomfort you may be experiencing.
You can talk to your doctor about ways to reduce eye strain from using phones and computers. They may suggest strategies, such as taking regular breaks from screens. A helpful tip is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
It’s also worth asking whether special computer or blue-light filtering glasses can help you feel more comfortable when using a digital device. Your eye doctor can give you personalized recommendations based on your individual needs.
Questions to ask your eye doctor: “Is my screen time affecting my eyes and vision? What strategies do you recommend?”
Questions about your eye exam
When you go for a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor will perform several tests to check your vision and eye health. Feel free to ask questions to help you understand the results.
What tests are you doing today?
Comprehensive examinations help detect common eye conditions, like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. They can also detect early signs of eye diseases that might otherwise be missed before severe vision loss occurs.
Knowing what questions to ask an eye doctor can be difficult. Here are some routine tests and what they check:
Visual acuity test
Your visual acuity is tested using a chart of letters or symbols to check your eyesight at various distances.
Ask: “What does my visual acuity mean (for example, 20/40)?”
Refraction
During refraction, the doctor uses a phoropter to test different lenses in front of your eyes, asking which ones give you the clearest vision. This helps determine if you need glasses or contacts for nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.
Ask: “What kind of vision correction do I need, if any?”
Pupil response to light
To assess your pupil response, the doctor will shine a light into your eyes. This test checks for proper pupil constriction, which may reveal neurological or other health problems.
Ask: “What does my pupil reaction tell you about my eye health?”
Eye muscle movement test
The doctor will watch your eyes move in different directions to check for proper alignment, eye coordination and movement.
Ask: “Are my eye muscles working together correctly?”
Eye pressure check (tonometry)
This test measures the pressure inside your eye, which is important for screening for glaucoma. A common method involves a quick puff of air.
Ask: “What is my eye pressure, and is it within normal range?”
Visual field test
A visual field test checks your peripheral vision. It helps detect glaucoma and other conditions affecting peripheral vision.
Ask: “What does this test tell us about my overall field of vision?”
Dilated eye exam
During a dilated eye exam, the doctor will administer drops to widen your pupils. This gives them a clearer view of the inside of your eyes. It allows them to check structures, such as the lens, retina and optic nerve. This is important for diagnosing conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Ask: “Am I at risk for any eye conditions? How long will my vision be blurry after dilation?”
Knowing the purpose of each test helps you be an active participant in your eye and vision care.
READ MORE: Visual acuity and visual acuity tests
How often should I come back?
Asking how often you need an exam helps you understand the recommended schedule based on age or eye conditions. Inquiring about the reasons for follow-up appointments will help keep you on track for checkups. The frequency of eye exams isn’t the same for everyone. Recommended guidelines include:
- School-aged children – Every year or as recommended
- Adults aged 18-64 with no risk factors – At least every two years
- Adults aged 65 and older with no risk factors – Every year
- Individuals with risk factors – Every year or as recommended
- Contact lens wearers – Every year
Knowing when to schedule your next appointment can help prevent potential vision loss and ensure your eyes remain healthy.
Questions to ask your eye doctor: “How often should I get routine eye exams? Should I come in for a follow-up appointment?”
Questions about vision fixes
Ask your eye doctor specific questions about vision correction to fully understand your choices. Whether you’re considering glasses, contacts or even surgery, discussing your lifestyle and vision needs will help them make the best recommendation.
Do I need glasses or contacts?
Your doctor can determine your need for vision correction after a comprehensive eye exam. Tests such as visual acuity and refraction will detect if you need glasses or contacts.
Ask your eye doctor which is better suited for your lifestyle.
For example, contacts may be preferable for active people. Glasses with anti-reflective coatings to reduce screen glare can benefit individuals who spend a lot of time working at a computer. If you suffer from dry eye, contact lenses may worsen the problem and glasses could be a better choice.
Exploring all the glasses or contact lens possibilities lets you weigh the advantages and disadvantages. This will also help your doctor recommend the best vision correction for all your daily activities, including reading and driving.
Questions to ask your eye doctor: “Based on my exam results, do I need contacts or glasses? Which do you recommend based on my lifestyle and vision needs?”
Can I get LASIK or other eye surgery?
If you’re thinking about getting rid of glasses or contacts, ask your eye doctor if LASIK or other refractive surgery might be right for you. Refractive surgery can fix problems with how your eye focuses, like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Your doctor will do a thorough eye exam to check things like the shape and health of your cornea, the size of your pupils and the depth of the front part of your eye.
Common questions to ask your eye doctor include:
- Am I a good candidate for refractive surgery?
- Which refractive surgery do you recommend?
- What are the benefits?
- What are the risks?
- What can I expect before, during and after the surgery?
- What results can I expect?
- How much does it cost?
There are other surgical ways to correct vision if LASIK isn’t a good fit. Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or a similar refractive surgery could be an option. If you have cataracts — a clouding of the eye’s lens — inquire about the possibility of cataract surgery. This procedure may lessen your need for glasses.
If LASIK or other refractive surgery isn’t right for you, there might still be ways to correct your vision, such as with orthokeratology (or ortho-k). This is a nonsurgical vision correction method that works while you sleep. Worn overnight, these specialized contacts gently reshape your cornea, enabling clear vision throughout the day without glasses or traditional contacts.
Question to ask your eye doctor: “Since refractive surgery isn’t an option for me, are there alternatives, such as ortho-k, that I would be a good candidate for?”
Questions about eye problems
When you see your eye doctor, ask about anything in your medical or family history that could increase your chances of certain eye conditions.
What signs should I watch for?
Early signs of some eye diseases are subtle, so knowing what red flags to watch for can save your vision. Ask your doctor what signs and symptoms could indicate an eye problem needing prompt attention.
Your eye doctor can provide you with a list of symptoms to watch for based on your eye health and risk factors. Symptoms needing immediate medical attention typically include:
- A sudden decrease in vision or the appearance of blurry spots
- New onset or increase in floaters (specks that seem to drift in your vision)
- Flashes of light
- Seeing halos around lights
- Eye pain or redness
- Drainage from the eye
- Seeing double
Reporting these symptoms promptly can help detect conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration and retinal problems early, possibly preventing severe vision loss.
Question to ask your eye doctor: “What are the signs and symptoms that are red flags for calling you immediately?”
Could I get eye disease later?
The risk of getting many eye diseases increases as you get older. Ask if your medical and family histories or habits might increase your risk for some eye diseases. Your doctor can discuss your risk of conditions, such as:
- Glaucoma – This can damage your optic nerve due to increased eye pressure.
- Cataracts – This is when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy.
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – This can affect your central vision.
- Diabetic retinopathy – This is when diabetes damages blood vessels in the back of the eye.
Knowing your risk can help you and your doctor keep a closer watch on your eye health. To better understand your likelihood of getting an eye disease later, ask your eye doctor:
- Does my family history increase my risk for any eye diseases?
- Do any of my current health conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, make me more likely to get eye problems?
- Are there any lifestyle habits I have that could increase my risk, like smoking?
- What can I do now to help protect my eyes as I age?
- How often should I have a comprehensive dilated eye exam based on my risk factors?
Make the most of your eye visit
To get the most out of your visit with your optometrist or ophthalmologist, make a list of questions, your medical history and your medications. At the visit, ask questions about your vision and eyes. This will help you get valuable information about your exam. Understanding warning signs and learning about your risk for eye diseases can help you protect your sight. It also helps your eye doctor provide you with the best care.
READ MORE: Optometrist vs. ophthalmologist: How to choose an eye doctor
