Tips for Choosing the Best Optometrist

March 23, 2022

Whether it’s just you, your family, or you are looking to find a great eye doctor for someone else you take care of, knowing who to register with can be a little daunting, particularly since eye care is so important. To help you get started with making your selection, here are our top tips for choosing the best optometrist.

Ask Around For Recommendations

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that everyone attends regular comprehensive eye exams, regardless of their age, location or whether or not they wear glasses. This means that you almost certainly already know people who visit an optometrist, and they may be happy to recommend who they use to you. Alternatively, they may be able to tell you who you should avoid and why. Recommendations are an excellent way to come up with a shortlist of possible professionals with very little time or effort invested – although you should always make sure that you do your own research as well, checking out online reviews on both their own and impartial websites.

Look Into Their Qualifications and Experience

All optometrists should have the relevant qualifications, as well as being licensed to practice in your state. Both of these are things that are relatively easy to check. However, it can also be valuable to dig a little deeper to find out just how long they have been practising, how committed they are to further education and training to keep pace with advancing tools and techniques, and if they have any specialist areas of expertise. This can be important if you have a specific eye condition.

Ask If They Invest In Technology

Technology continues to transform modern medicine, and tools needed for better diagnostics and treatment in eye health haven’t escaped the equation. With better diagnostic and treatment technologies than ever before, many great optometrists are recognizing the value of investing in the latest innovations to ensure that they deliver the very best care to their patients. Often, newer technologies enable optometrists to operate more safely and to the highest standards, whilst also being affordable and ensuring the care that they offer is cost-effective. Ask your potential optometrist what technology they use and how it will benefit you.

Consider Convenience

Of course, it doesn’t matter how great an optometrist is if actually attending your appointments is going to be tricky. You must make sure that you choose an eyecare professional that is convenient for you to visit as this will help ensure that you don’t miss appointments – which could be detrimental to your eye health. Choose an optometrist with a practice that is nearby to your home or place of work, that offers opening hours that suit your schedule and that is easily reached by public transport in the event that you can’t drive or park here! You should also find out what their arrangements are for any out-of-hours emergencies. Do they offer an out-of-hours service, or will you be sent to a partner practise?

Take Cost Into Account

Whether you are paying out of pocket or you have insurance, you will want to make sure that your chosen optometrist meets your budget expectations and/or is happy to work with your insurer.

Finally

Always visit in person. It really is the best way of determining how well a practice treats its patients, as well as letting you see the environment in which you will receive your care. Any good optometrist will be happy for you to schedule an appointment to meet them and their team in person.

For more advice on how to choose the best optometrist, please visit Eye Associates of New York in New York. Call (212) 650-4888 today.