Recently a colleague asked me, “When was the last time you had an eye exam?” Since it had been a couple of years, I decided it was time for Dr. Moody has his eyes examined.
Dr. Jessica Lambert joined Moody Eyes in June 2018. She graduated from Indiana University School of Optometry in 2013. She then did a fellowship in ocular disease in Florida. Recently, she worked in a medical practice in Richmond, Indiana. I looked forward to hearing what she would find during my eye exam.
Eye Tests Do Not Have to Be Scary
The first thing was to bring my eye exam records up-to-date, followed by a case history and some preliminary tests to gather information for Dr. Lambert. While I was seated in the exam chair, I looked around for a few minutes. It occurred to me how intimidating the exam instruments can appear from the patient’s viewpoint. I am thinking of ways to reduce patient’s fear of the eye exam tests.
Maintaining Eye Contact Can Be a Challenge with Electronic Medical Records
Dr. Lambert walked in, greeted me, and sat down at the desk. With her fingers on the keyboard, she proceeded to go through the information her assistant had gathered. As I answered each question, she typed my response into the computer. This made me think of how much time I spend typing and how difficult it is to maintain eye contact when with a patient.
Dilation is Important
Because I had my eyes dilated, I had to wait about 20 minutes. The office became very bright and somewhat blurry as the drops took effect. It took about 2 hours for this to wear off so I could see patients in the afternoon.
A Review of the Findings is Necessary
Dr. Lambert went over the findings with me at the end of her exam:
- I have some signs of my hypertension in my retina blood vessels, a reminder to keep my doctor’s appointments and take my medicine.
- I have the beginnings of cataracts, which is typical for my age.
- My glasses prescription has changed. Dr. Lambert explained that I was probably taking my glasses off and on more because of how my prescription has changed.
Small Prescription Changes Can Make a BIG Difference
I picked out a new frame and ordered glasses. When I put them on about a week later I was amazed. Even though my prescription only needed a tune up, I saw more clearly and my eyes were much more comfortable with the new lenses. This experience reminded me of how even small prescription changes can make a big difference.