This post is an attempt to motivate patients who seek treatment in any area of medicine but specifically those who visit the eye doctor. Millions of patients visit doctor offices around the globe everyday. Some visits are as straight forward as a routine check ups while other visits can be as intense as surgery or extensive special testing. No matter the nature of the diagnosis, routine or emergency, it is best for the patient and the physician to be on the same page. Ocular awareness could literally be defined as "ones awareness of their eyes..?" specifically in this post I'm referring to the a patient taking an active role in their treatment.
As a technician I ask questions like..What kind of drops are you are using? How often do you use them? Have you noticed any changes in your vision since your last visit? Any changes in your medical history since your last visit? Some patients know their medical history forwards and backwards but others give me a response along the lines of "I don't know?"
With that being said, if you or someone you know has an appointment approaching with any physician, take time to consider things to be discussed with the doctor such as: If a reaction occurred to a medication that you were prescribed, if your vision is blurry, if your are having problems driving at night, you have noticed a few small black spots in your vision and some times you thought you noticed a few flashes of light in your vision, can't see road signs, diagnosed with a diabetes or high blood pressure since your last visit. All of these scenarios listed could be vital information for a physician to consider before he or she formulates a treatment plan.
In addition to accurately reporting symptoms to a physician during the visit, following instructions given by that physician is a step in the right direction on your road to recovery. With that being said, using drops as directed, regularly checking home vision test like Amsler Grids for patients who suffer from Macular degeneration, and making recommend lifestyle changes are all great contributions to your ocular health.
In many instances patients visit the doctor as with the same level of excitement as completing an arduous chore....but remember to ask questions, take note of any changes in vision, and have a clear understanding of the plan that your doctor has for you. Increase your OCULAR AWARENESS!!
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