To help your eye care provider help you choose the right eyeglasses for your vision and lifestyle needs, it is important that you share with them as much information as possible about your work, recreational activities, and any other factors that might influence the glasses they recommend for you. The following ideas might help your doctor determine the best treatment and products for you:
Tell your story
Tell your eye care provider as much as you can about your vision and viewing habits. Talk about your smart phone, tablet, and computer usage, how often you watch TV, whether you read books on a device, if you are reading paperwork all day, and how much time you spend outdoors. Supplying your eye care provider with as much information as possible will help them generate questions for you and arrive at recommendations that best suit your needs.
Remember why you made the appointment in the first place
Do you work on a computer 7-8 hours each day and then come home and read the news on a tablet? Do you have headaches at the end of the day? Is your vision blurry? Do you need prescription sunglasses? Tell the provider exactly why you are there if it is for any other reason than just a checkup.
Be honest
Receiving the correct prescription is up to you. When your eye care provider asks you to rate the lens strength as “better one” or “better two,” take your time and assess which one truly is better. Sometimes there is no difference and that is what the eye care provider needs to know too.
Be open to more than one pair of glasses
These are your eyes and they are the only pair you have. Revisit your “story” and lifestyle – if you are having difficulty focusing when you read, you may need lenses for near vision and also lenses for distance. Similarly, you made need lenses that you wear specifically when using the computer at work, and then different lenses when you are working out on a cross country run in the bright sunlight. You have more than one pair of shoes for different activities, and you may need more than one pair of glasses.
Remember, it is about the frames and the lenses
The lenses and frames work together, as a package, complementing one another to ensure you have the fashion, fit, and function you need from your eyeglasses. Communicate with the person fitting you with frames about comfort and durability so you are comfortable with the fit. If you do find that they are fitting too loose or too tight after you leave, your eyeglass seller will usually adjust them for no charge at any time.
