PREPARING FOR YOUR EYE EXAM
New office visit COVID protocols to keep you safe
Check In Before You Arrive:
- Electronic checkin is now a click way. Complete all your forms online before your actual appointment. To get this functionality, sign up for Sophrona Patient Portal. If you are unable to use the Echeck in, you can download the forms from our website and bring the completed forms on the day of your visit.
We Will Not Be Asking You To Wait:
- Your testing will be done in an expeditious and safe way, and your doctor will see you rapidly upon completion. If we ever do run behind, we will ask you to wait in your car.
Disinfection and Cleaning:
- Our locations are repeatedly and thoroughly sanitized throughout each day. Exam rooms and equipment are cleaned between patient visits.
Visitors:
- For the safety of our patients and staff, we ask you to come in alone unless you require the assistance from a family member or a friend.
In order to make sure your visit to the practice goes smoothly, we’ve put together some important information about how things work at the practice.
In general, the more information you can tell us about your eye health history, the more we can help you.
Please bring the following to your eye exam: all current insurance card(s), referral information (if required by your insurance), eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses and related prescription information, solutions, and a complete list of all medications and dosages. If you wear contact lenses, wear them to the eye exam. If you wear distance glasses, put them on after you are seated in the exam room (unless you are wearing contact lenses).
If you want to update your eyeglass prescription…Please inform us at the beginning of the eye exam if you would like to update your prescription, or you feel there may be a change in your vision or prescription. In general, unless the tested vision is not good or you are having visual problems, a refraction may not be necessary.
If you currently wear contact lenses…
It is important but not essential for you to know what contact lens prescription you are wearing (manufacturer, brand name, power, base curve, and diameter). If you have the contact lens vial or packaging, bring this with you to the exam. This will expedite the examination process. If you are unable to obtain this information before the eye exam, a complete contact refitting needs to be performed. We recommend that you wear your contact lenses to the eye exam. Please inform the receptionist that you are wearing contact lenses when you check into our office.
If you wish to have your eyes dilated (or elect not to, and instead go with our new Optos wide-field fundus camera)…
Pupillary dilation, for the purpose of examining the back of the eye (retina, vitreous, blood vessels, optic nerves), has usually been performed as part of the full eye examination with a few exceptions until now, with our new Optos wide-field fundus camera, which can take the place of dilation. This state-of-the-art device affords patients who require a dilated retinal examination the opportunity to avoid dilation drops and instead have their retina examined by the camera photograph, without dilation. For those who elect for dilation, it is performed towards the end of the eye exam because dilation will cause the vision to blur.Once dilation drops are instilled, it is not possible to perform a refraction or contact lens fitting. Therefore, it is important for you to inform us if you wish to have these tests performed before you are dilated. Dilation is performed with special eye drops which sting momentarily. It usually takes 15-30 minutes to achieve adequate pupillary dilation, and it usually causes significant light sensitivity and blurred vision for 2-4 hours. The duration and severity of these side effects vary from person to person. Bring your darkest sunglasses with you. Although most people have no problem driving after they are dilated, we recommend that you bring a driver. If you have any doubts, please bring a driver or defer the dilation.
