Getting ready for your eye exam
Preparing for an eye exam can help you feel more at ease and make the most of your visit. Think about any vision issues you’ve had, gather your current glasses or contact lenses and bring details about your health and medications to your appointment.
Noting specific signs and symptoms, like blurry vision, eye strain or headaches, can also give your eye doctor helpful insight into your eye health. Be prepared to share any medical conditions or treatments that might affect your eyes. It’s also useful to know your family’s eye health and medical history, especially if certain eye conditions run in your family.
Whether you’re going in for a routine optometry exam or seeing a specialist in ophthalmology, having a list of questions can help you feel more confident during your appointment.
What to bring to your eye exam
Being proactive can help you get more personalized care and make the most of your visit. Preparing a few important items for your eye exam ensures your provider has everything needed to evaluate your vision and overall eye health more accurately.
List of symptoms and concerns
Before your appointment, write down any vision changes or eye discomfort you’ve experienced. These details help your provider understand your eye health more thoroughly and may uncover issues that need attention. Be sure to mention any specific symptoms, such as:
- Blurry vision or double vision
- Frequent headaches
- Eye strain or fatigue
- Sensitivity to light
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Eye pain or discomfort
- Floaters or flashes of light
- Excessive tearing
Sharing when these symptoms started and how often they occur can help guide your care and support an accurate diagnosis. You can also use the FOLDAR method to cover the most important points about your symptoms:
- Frequency of symptoms
- Onset of symptoms
- Location of where the symptoms are occurring
- Duration of how long the symptoms last
- Associations of other symptoms or triggers that occur
- Remedies that you have tried to relieve symptoms and their success
Current eyeglasses and contact lenses
Bring your current pair of glasses and any contact lenses you wear regularly, along with the cases or boxes they came in. These help your eye care provider assess how well your current contact lens or eyeglass prescription is working and whether any changes are needed. Even if you don’t wear them all the time, having them on hand allows for a more complete evaluation.
Medical history and medications
It’s helpful to share both your personal and family medical histories during an eye exam. Conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration can be inherited, so knowing whether these run in your family allows your provider to assess your risk more accurately.
Your past eye health is also an important part of the conversation. Be prepared to share whether you’ve had similar eye symptoms in the past or experienced other eye issues, including allergic conjunctivitis, uveitis or corneal erosions. If you’ve had problems in the other eye or a history of eye trauma, let your eye doctor know, as this can help explain recurring issues or conditions that affect both eyes. Details about past eye surgeries, including cataract removal or retinal procedures, should also be discussed.
If you have diabetes, providing a detailed medical history is especially important. Diabetes can impact the blood vessels in the eyes over time, so regular exams are key to monitoring and detecting diabetic retinopathy as early as possible.
It’s also recommended to bring a list of all medications you take, including over-the-counter products and supplements. Some medications may have an impact on eye health, so sharing this information helps support more informed care.
READ MORE: 5 reasons why annual eye exams are so important
Physically preparing for your eye exam
Taking care of your body before an eye exam can make the experience more comfortable and effective. Simple steps, like staying hydrated and bringing sunglasses, can help reduce discomfort and protect your eyes during and after the visit.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated before an eye exam can help support the accuracy of your results. Research has shown that drinking 500 to 1,000 mL of water can temporarily affect factors, such as the shape and flexibility of the cornea. These changes may affect certain eye measurements, especially those used to assess corneal health or eye pressure.
Here are some tips to stay hydrated prior to your eye exam:
- Consume water during meal times.
- Add flavoring to your water.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine consumption.
- Have a water bottle with you at all times.
SEE RELATED: How dehydration can impact eye health and vision
Wear sunglasses
During your eye exam, you may need to have your pupils dilated. Dilating the pupil increases the amount of light that reaches the back of the eye, giving your eye care provider a better view of important structures. This makes it easier to detect signs of conditions, like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
However, following dilation, your eyes can remain sensitive to light for several hours. Wearing sunglasses helps protect your eyes during this time and can make it easier to see comfortably outdoors and drive after the eye exam. Bringing your own pair to the appointment is a simple way to stay prepared.
Bring your current contacts and glasses
If you wear contact lenses, glasses or both, make sure to bring them to your eye exam. For contact lens wearers, you can wear them to your exam, as an over-refraction is often performed during your visit. This is done to assess how well you see while wearing your current lenses.
Even when wearing your contact lenses, be sure to also bring your glasses to your appointment. If dilation is needed, your eyes may feel sensitive, and switching to glasses can be more comfortable afterward.
What not to do before an eye exam
Proper preparation helps ensure accurate results during your eye exam. Avoiding certain habits can help your eye doctor get the clearest picture of your vision and overall eye health.
Do not strain the eyes
Try not to strain your eyes before your eye exam. Consider booking your appointment at a time when your eyes are rested, such as earlier in the day or after a break from digital screen use. Some other ways to prevent eye strain include:
- Position your computer screen to reduce glare and strain.
- Point vents away from your face to avoid drying out your eyes.
- Apply eye drops as needed to stay comfortable.
- Blink more often to refresh your eyes.
- Take breaks from screens when you can.
- Stick to your eye care routine for contacts.
Timing your eye exam
The time at which you book your eye exam can make a difference in the accuracy of your results. Though it doesn’t typically affect eye exam results, research has found that visual performance tends to peak around 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. when the brain processes visual information more efficiently. Midday hours, especially early afternoon, may come with a slight dip in clarity.
Other factors that could affect when you may want to book your eye exam include:
- Eye pressure changes during the day – Eye pressure is usually highest in the morning and lowers as the day goes on. This is why your eye doctor will note the time when it’s checked.
- Dry eyes can get worse later in the day – Your eyes may feel drier in the afternoon or evening, which can make it harder to get an accurate test. However, artificial tears may help get a better result from your exam.
- Sleep makes a big difference – Getting a good night’s sleep before your exam is important. Fatigue can lead to eye strain, blurry vision, dryness and sensitivity.
To get the most accurate prescription from your visual acuity test, consider scheduling your appointment when your eyes feel their best.
Tips for an accurate eye exam
A comprehensive eye exam does more than check your vision. It helps detect early signs of eye conditions and can even reveal other health issues. Whether it is your first visit or a regular checkup, arriving informed helps your eye doctor gather the most accurate information.
To get the most out of your exam, consider the following:
- Check with your vision insurance company to see what is covered for your eye exam visit.
- Bring your current glasses or contact lenses, so your provider can evaluate how well your prescription is working.
- Make a list of any symptoms, especially if they have changed over time.
- Share your medical history, including any medications or supplements you take, since some can affect your eyes.
- Know your family’s eye health background, particularly if eye conditions run in your family.
- Plan ahead if eye dilation is expected by bringing sunglasses and arranging for a ride, if needed.
Scheduling a routine eye exam is one of the easiest ways to protect your vision. Regular checkups help catch problems early when they are most treatable. If it has been a while since your last exam, consider making an appointment to keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear.
