Our vision is precious to us, so we don’t want to trust the health of our eyes to just anyone. It’s important to find a competent, trustworthy optometrist for our eye care needs. But how?
What is an Optometrist?
This may seem like a silly question, but there is a lot of confusion on the topic, with many people confusing optometrists with ophthalmologists. There is an important difference. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who treats eye diseases. Some are surgeons. An optometrist is an eye care professional with an OD (doctor of optometry degree), who focuses on inspecting vision and helping patients determine if they need glasses or contact lenses. They can prescribe medication for certain conditions. There are also opticians, who use the prescription from your eye doctor to help you get the right glasses.
Ask Friends and Family
If you have friends or family members in your town who wear contacts or glasses, ask them who they go to. If you belong to a neighborhood internet chat group, you can ask for a recommendation there as well. Take notes.
Check Online Reviews
These days there are online reviews for almost anything. This includes eye clinics. But be skeptical. Many online reviews are fake. If the text of the review seems strange or irrelevant, disregard it.
Credentials and Experience
It’s best to choose an optometrist with some years of experience, and a degree from a reputable college. These details and credentials should be easy to access on the eye clinic’s website, which should also tell you about the technology they use.
Price Matters
There’s no point in booking an appointment with an eye clinic that you can’t afford, so don’t be afraid to ask about their prices for eye exams and other services. The aforementioned online reviews will probably have some comments on the clinic’s affordability, so keep an eye out for that. Also, ask your health insurance what vision coverage plans are available. If you go with them, they can give you guidance on which eye clinics to call.
Convenience Factors
Convenience is nearly as important as quality. If the best-reviewed eye clinic is two hours away you may want to consider something else. Check their hours. They may not be compatible with your work or school schedule. Also ask if they have a wide variety of frames available to try on, and how long it takes to get glasses made.
Since 1903, the Cheyenne Eye Clinic and Surgery Center has provided comprehensive eye care services to improve patients’ sight and enhance their lives—and we want to do the same for you. Whether you need a routine eye exam or cataract surgery. Whether you want a new pair of glasses or you need a contact lens fitting. Whether you’ve been a patient for decades or you just moved here. You’ll get the same personal care and attention from our board-certified doctors, experienced technicians, and friendly staff. Everything we do is focused on you so you can focus on what matters.