Questions you should be asked at your eye test!
We start with, “can we get you a coffee from John St Kitchen next door?”, but I accept that’s not an essential one. But, it’s significant as the questions you are asked at the start of the examination should take a while - long enough for you to drink a coffee. The questions should be purposeful and orientated around making sure the optometrist understands what visual issues you are (and are not) facing - in everyday life, at work and at play.
Open questions are vital - “are you having any problems with your eyes?” and specific follow ups are needed when the initial questions don’t raise in any issues. Many eye tests are rushed and the optom exudes an attitude of let’s crack on and don’t make this too difficult and the great polite British public are suckers for complying … then finding themselves pushed out to somoene eager to make a sale (15 mins later) when they realise the thing they were anxious about has not been addressed.
Communication and clinical skills are absolutely intertwined.
So, here are some things you should defintley be asked:
Why have you come for any eye test?
How is your vision? Far away, close up - on screens?
Do you have specs/contacts and when do you wear them?
Any other issues likes headaches …
What are the visual demands of your life? At work, rest and play?
There are obvioulsy loads more things to cover, but this is how it should start.
Check out the @ethicaloptician YouTube channel for more on this …