How to Combat Anxiety when Visiting Your Optician

Much like visiting the dentists, an eye examination can bring levels of anxiety in the run-up to your test, especially post Covid-19.

Feeling anxious when it comes to your health is very common, and can lead to nervous patients avoiding eye tests altogether, risking serious eye conditions due to fear.

At Reynolds & Slater, we understand that being nervous about an upcoming appointment can make it difficult to concentrate on everyday life, which is why we are here to help you combat eye test anxiety.

Is it safe to go to the opticians?

Eye examinations are perfectly safe, and last around thirty minutes. For the most part nothing will physically touch your eye. Your eyes will be examined by a qualified optometrist or ophthalmologist who has been trained to identify any abnormalities or visual issues safely and has also been taught to follow Covid-19 safety guidelines.

If your anxiety is due to the levels of Covid-19 in your local area, your optician will always have a list of Covid guidance available to help you feel safer going in for your appointment. Feel free to ask your local opticians for a list of their covid guidance if that will help you to feel safer during your appointment.

Your opticians will continue to social distance where possible, as well as sanitising and wearing a face mask to keep you safe. Patients are also always welcome to bring their own face mask to their appointment as long as it does not have any effect on their sight test (a facial visor is an example of this).

At Reynolds & Slater we follow guidance from NHS England to continue providing safe and effective care to each of our patients.

What to expect from an eye examination

A common cause of anxiety is not knowing what to expect from your eye examination.

It is a recommendation to have your eyes tested every one to two years depending on the strength of your vision or any conditions, but if you have not had regular eye exams in the past it can feel daunting stepping into the unknown.

When heading into your test the first thing you can expect is to be asked some questions about your vision and whether you have been experiencing any symptoms outside of what is considered ‘normal’ for you.

Next, your optician will examine the health of your eyes. Your optician will use a torch or a lamp to examine your eye, including pupil reflexes and your optic nerve. Some opticians may use a machine to take a photograph of your eye, but don’t worry, all you will see is a bright light, and nothing will come into direct contact with your eye.

Now you will go through several vision tests, including the famous ‘letter test’ to help determine the quality of your sight. All equipment used during your examination has been thoroughly sanitised and will be sanitised again after your appointment to ensure no cross-contamination can occur.

How to combat eye test anxiety

Help to combat your eye test anxiety by letting us know! We can help to ease your nerves more if we are aware that you have them.

Ask us lots of questions, the more you know about what we are doing the more reassured you will feel.

Remember that you are not alone in your feelings. Lots of people feel anxious about eye tests, so don’t feel embarrassed and just be honest with your optician about your fears.

No matter the reason for your anxiety, the staff at Reynolds & Slater are here to help, whether that includes informing you of our latest Covid guidance or providing you with a list of what to expect during your exam.