If your eyes are healthy and you have good vision, you may only need to see your eye doctor once a year. This means that it is essential to make the most of your visit and ask any important questions that could benefit your eye health and ensure that you continue to enjoy great vision for as long as possible. It can be extremely frustrating to leave an appointment and realize that you didn’t ask a burning question. So, to help you get the very most from your visit, listed below are the top 5 questions you should ask your Wichita Falls eye doctor.

1. Are my eyes as healthy as they can be, and if not, what can I do to improve their condition and my vision?

Our vision is incredibly valuable, so it is no wonder that one of the most important questions that we can ask is whether or not there is anything that we can be doing to better support our ocular health. If you have previously been diagnosed with an eye disease, your eye doctor should explain what you can be doing at home to manage or resolve the condition. However, prevention is always better than trying to find a cure and there are things that you may be able to do to which will boost the health of your eyes and help you to retain great vision for even longer. Your eye doctor will able to make some recommendations, be it changing certain habits, using eye protection, or even taking supplements. Your eye doctor will have the best advice.

2. Will my job or recreational activities have any effect on my vision or eye health?

Most of us spend a great deal of our time working which can potentially put our eyes at risk. For example, working on a computer or even spending too much time on your phone can cause eye strain and decrease your blink rate, which can cause dry eye issues. If you work in an environment such as woodworking or welding, you should be wearing protective goggles to prevent your eyes from being damaged. In addition to the time spent at our jobs, many of us choose to use our spare time participating in recreational activities such as watching movies, reading, woodworking, swimming, partaking in sports… the list of possibilities is endless. Some of these activities such as watching movies or reading can cause eye strain, while others, such as swimming regularly, can increase your chances of developing eye irritation or infections. Your eye doctor will be able to offer sound guidance as to whether your job or hobbies will have any impact on your vision and what you can do to minimize these. 

3. Am I at risk of eye disease?

Many of us are guilty of undergoing tests with medical or eye professionals and failing to ask what the purpose of these assessments. However, when it comes to your comprehensive eye exam, many of the tests that you will undergo will be used to determine the health of your eyes and if you are at risk of developing eye disease in the future. If there is even the slightest chance that you could be at risk, you and your eye doctor in Wichita Falls should be working together to address and minimize this threat. 

4. Are there any products that you can recommend and why?

Sometimes the best way to support your ocular health is to use some of the many products and services available. Your eye doctor may suggest that you take advantage of one or more of these solutions to boost your vision as well as the health and condition of your eyes. 

These can include:

• Eyedrops
• Eye ointments/gels
• Prescription medications
• Soothing masks
• Sunglasses
• Protective eyewear
• Specific coatings for glasses such as anti-glare or transition lenses
• Specific contact lenses

5. How often do I need to attend a comprehensive eye exam?

If your eyes are healthy, you may only need to see your eye doctor every 12 months. However, if there are any current or developing issues with your eyes, it may be recommended that you visit your eye doctor more frequently. You must follow the advice given to you by your Wichita Falls eye doctor at Clarke EyeCare Center, who will be as committed to your eye health as you are.