Things You Must Avoid Before the Eye Exam

It's time for your annual eye exam. You're about to make an appointment. But before you do, what's the first thing that comes to mind? "How long is it going to take?" Well, don't worry!

You can expect the eye exam to last between 20-30 minutes. But you should not sit around twiddling your thumbs once it's time for your eye exam. You should avoid doing some things during this critical appointment to ensure a successful eye exam.

Importance of Comprehensive and Error-Free Eye Exam

A comprehensive eye exam is essential for overall health. It can detect diseases and conditions like glaucoma and cataracts that affect vision. Early detection of these conditions can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle going forward.

An eye exam is also an essential part of confirming your prescription. Suppose you purchase glasses or contact lenses without having a qualified professional perform an eye exam. In that case, you could be missing the best possible solution to your vision problems.

An optometrist is trained to make sure they prescribe the correct lens type and power for each patient's needs. Eye exams are also helpful in identifying any changes in vision over time. This allows patients to receive treatment before significant issues arise or become life-threatening.

Don't Forget Your Current Prescriptive Glasses and/or Contact Lenses at Home

Before you leave the house for your eye exam, make sure to bring along any prescription eyewear that you currently wear. You must bring your current glasses and/or contact lenses to the exam. With them, eye care providers can get a complete picture of how your eyes are seeing things now.

Additionally, if there's something wrong with the vision correction in your current glasses or contacts, or if they're not helping you see as well as they should, they’ll be able to detect the issues during the eye exam. On top of that, having proper vision correction is essential for maintaining good eye health overall.

Don't Wear Any Makeup

Make sure your makeup is off before you arrive for your appointment. Wearing makeup can prevent the optometrist from seeing the true condition of your eyes. Makeup can cause irritation and swelling, which may interfere with the exam.

It also makes it more challenging to see the surface of your eye. They’ll end up giving you false results. This could lead to misdiagnosis or missed diagnoses such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Don't Wear Contact Lenses At Least 24 Hours Before the Exam

Do not wear contact lenses at least 24 hours before the eye exam. Wearing contact lenses can cause irritation, infection, and eye infections. The cornea, the front part of the eye, is very sensitive. If you wear contacts for an extended period and then go in for an eye exam without removing them first, there could be a problem with your vision that might affect your results during the exam.

Suppose you are wearing contacts for more than one day per week or have been wearing them for several months or years. In that case, it's essential to discuss this with your doctor. They can help determine if there may be any problems with your eyesight. He’ll ensure that everything is healthy enough to continue wearing contacts comfortably before going through an eye exam.

Don't Consume Caffained Drinks and Alcohol

You should not drink caffeinated drinks before an eye exam. Caffeine can cause dry eyes, one of the most common causes of blurry vision. Similarly, alcohol consumption can result in red eyes due to dilated pupils. Alcohol is also known to cause fatigue and drowsiness that may affect your ability to focus during your eye exam.

Don't Keep Yourself Dehydrated

When preparing for an eye exam, it's essential to ensure you are well-hydrated. When you don't drink enough water throughout the day, especially before the eye exam, dry eyes may affect your vision. So, drink plenty of water. Not just right before the appointment.

Don't Overexert Your Eyes

You should also avoid putting your eyes under any unnecessary strain. You should only stare at a computer or digital device for a short time, especially if the screen is dimly lit or the text is tiny. It's also important to be careful about how much you read in low-light and dark environments.

Reading in the car is another good way to damage your eyesight over time. It can be hard on your neck and back, but bright sunlight reflecting off surfaces around you can also hurt your eyes.

Also, don't work out just before the eye exam. Many people think exercising before an eye exam is a good idea, but it isn't. Exercise can make your eyesight blurry and distort how your doctor will be able to see things in your eyes.

Don't Leave Out Things Concerning Your Eyes to Your Eye Care Provider

The eye exam is one of the most essential parts of your health. You should tell your eye care provider everything you think is necessary, even if it doesn’t seem like something that would affect your vision.

They need to know if you are taking any medications, if there are any allergies, or if any other health issues that could be affecting your eyesight.

Letting them know about these things before the eye exam will allow them to understand better what will be happening during it and how it can affect the results. Most importantly, what medications to prescribe?

Conclusion

The eyes are an essential part of your body. You must take care of them. This can be done by having regular appointments with an ophthalmologist and following their instructions. Staying hydrated and eating a well-balanced diet. Wearing appropriate eyewear such as prescription glasses/sunglasses when outdoors. And most significantly, knowing your risk factors.

That’s all about what not to do before an eye exam. The steps we've outlined above will help ensure your eye exam goes smoothly, and the results are accurate. We hope this article has been helpful for those new to this process.