Lets talk about patient history and symptoms. These are the first issues addressed by an optician at the outset of an eye test and this information is usually obtained by the optician asking why you have come to see them.
Predominantly, the answer to this initial question is that it is just a routine test but also it can be because the patient is unable to see as well as they would like and want to know if their glasses prescription needs changing. This is important information because if the patient is unable to see as well as they would like and their eyesight cannot be improved by changing the prescription in their specs then it is the job of the optician to find out why. I will discuss, in greater detail, the different possible reasons for this in future articles.
The optician also needs to know your general medical history as there are many conditions that can affect your eyesight such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The medicines you take for these conditions regularly have side effects that can cause problems with your eyes, so it is helpful to take a list of these with you when visiting your optician. You will be surprised to learn how seemingly unrelated conditions, and their relevant medications, can seriously affect your eyes. Again, I will cover these in much greater detail in later articles.
Your optician also needs to know what previous problems you have had with your eyes when helping you find the right eyeglasses, especially if the problem resulted in a visit to a specialist at the hospital. If a condition has already been checked at the hospital and found not to need treatment, then mentioning this can prevent unnecessary referrals. Hospital eye clinics are usually very busy and unnecessary appointments can be frustrating for both the doctor and patient.
Finally, knowing your family's eye history is very useful. Knowing if there is a history of glaucoma, short-sightedness, squints etc. helps your optician determine how at risk you are of developing the same conditions. Specifically, if you have a direct relative with glaucoma and you are over forty years of age, the NHS will pay for you to have your eyes tested every year.
It is also important to let your optician know what you mostly use your eyes for on a day to day basis, for example, if you work all day at a VDU, do lots of close up small detail work, drive for a living, etc. This will have a large impact on the final recommendations your optician makes regarding your glasses.
Craig Leaver
http://www.myeyeglasses.co.uk/ - leading online retailer of designer eyeglasess in the UK
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