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Five things I wish every patient knew before their eye test

Most people have never had any of this explained to them. Ten minutes of reading could change how much you get out of your next appointment, wherever you choose to have it.

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By Dipesh, Optometrist and owner · Qualified 2012

Dipesh, optometrist and owner of ClearChoice Opticians

WHY I WROTE THIS

Nobody ever explained it to them

In a typical week I’ll see someone who’s worn the wrong lenses for two years. I’ll see someone who has quietly struggled with their varifocals since the day they collected them. And I’ll see someone who is genuinely surprised that an eye test looks at anything other than whether they need glasses.

None of that is their fault.

An eye test is one of the few health appointments that ends with a decision about lenses, coatings, frames and upgrades. Most people walk in with no idea what any of it means, so they say yes to everything, or no to everything. Neither is a good way to spend your money.

These are the five things I find myself explaining most often. There’s nothing here to buy and nothing you need to book.

Dipesh

Optometrist and owner, ClearChoice Opticians

IN THIS GUIDE

An eye test is a health check, not just a prescription

When I look at the back of your eye, I’m seeing blood vessels and nerve tissue directly. It’s the only place in the body where that’s possible without surgery.

That view can reveal early signs of glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure and other conditions, often before you’ve noticed a single symptom. Glaucoma causes no pain and no obvious change in vision until damage is already done. It gets found at routine eye tests. People don’t find it by noticing something is wrong.

So “my vision seems fine” is a reason to be pleased, not a reason to cancel.

WHAT TO DO

Have your eyes examined every two years. Go every year if you’re over 60, diabetic, or have a family history of glaucoma, even if nothing seems to have changed.

Tell us how you actually use your eyes

Two people with the same prescription can need completely different glasses. What separates them is how they spend their day: three screens at work, long drives at night, reading in bed, close detail work, sport at the weekend.

A good recommendation starts with those questions, not with a product. If nobody asks, tell them anyway. Bring your current glasses too, including the pair you never got on with. That pair tells me more than almost anything you could say.

WHAT TO DO

Before you go, think of the three activities where your vision matters most. Mention all three, even if one feels trivial.

The lens matters more than the frame

Most people spend forty minutes choosing a frame and forty seconds on the lenses. It’s the wrong way round. The frame decides how your glasses look. The lens decides how you see, how your eyes feel at the end of the day, and whether you get on with them at all.

Varifocals are the clearest example. The difference between an entry-level design and a well-made one isn’t marketing. It’s how wide the clear zone is, how quickly you adapt, and how much you have to move your head to find your reading spot. You feel that difference every day for two years.

WHAT TO ASK

“Which lens are you recommending for me, and why that one rather than the standard option?” You should get a clear answer in plain English.

You don’t always need the most expensive option

This is the one I feel most strongly about. If a simpler lens is right for you, you should be told so, even though it earns the practice less.

Sometimes the upgrade is genuinely worth it. That’s true for heavy screen users, night drivers, high prescriptions, and anyone who has struggled with varifocals before. Sometimes the standard option will do the job perfectly well. Both answers are useful. Only one of them is a sale.

If the reasoning behind a recommendation would apply to anyone who walked through the door, it isn’t really a recommendation.

WHAT TO ASK

“What would I notice if I didn’t have this?” If nobody can describe a difference you’d actually notice, you probably don’t need it.

New glasses can take a few days to settle, but they shouldn’t feel wrong

A short adjustment period is normal, especially with varifocals or a first pair. A few days of mild oddness while your eyes and brain adapt is part of the process.

Some things are not normal: persistent headaches, double vision, the floor appearing to slope, or always looking through the wrong part of the lens. These can be checked and are usually fixable, sometimes with a simple adjustment to how the frame sits.

Too many people give up quietly. The new pair goes in a drawer, and nobody at the practice ever finds out. Checking and correcting isn’t a favour. It’s part of what you paid for.

WHAT TO DO

Wear them consistently for a week. If something still isn’t right, go back and explain exactly what you’re experiencing and when. Don’t wait until your next test.

IF YOU REMEMBER ONE THING

“You’re allowed to ask questions, and you’re allowed to take your time.”

An appointment where you felt rushed into a decision isn’t a good appointment, however good the glasses turn out to be.

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

Your pre-appointment checklist

Tick it off here, screenshot it, or download the printable version. It works at any optician.

Bring with you

all your current glasses (including the pair you don’t like)

your contact lens details, if you wear them

a list of any medication you take

any family history of glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetes

sunglasses, in case you have drops for a dilated examination

Be ready to explain

how many hours a day you spend on screens, and at what distance

whether you drive at night, and how you find it

any hobby or work task where your vision feels like a struggle

anything that has changed since last time (headaches, tired eyes, losing your place when reading)

Questions worth asking

“Has anything changed at the back of my eye since last time?”

“Which lens are you recommending, and why that one for me?”

“What would I notice if I didn’t have this option?”

“What happens if they don’t feel right when I get them home?”

“When should I come back?”

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IF YOU’D LIKE AN EYE TEST THAT FEELS LIKE THIS

The same person, start to finish

ClearChoice is an independent, family-run practice at Nene Court in Wellingborough. I’m the owner and the optometrist. The same person tests your eyes, helps you choose your frames, and is still here when you come back six months later with a question. Appointments are longer than you might be used to, because most of what’s in this guide takes time to explain properly. That’s the whole idea.