Anyone who comes into my office will know that I’m a bit of a gadget freak. I believe in technology and its ability to improve the quality of an eye exam. From a health perspective, I love what the Optomap Retinal Exam allows me to see in the back of a patient’s eye, without even needing to put dilating drops in their eyes.
My love for things that are gadgety and automated extends to checking glasses prescriptions as well. Whereas many offices are still using equipment that hasn’t been considered cutting-edge for twenty or thirty years, I’m fortunate to have a fully 21st century office. First, an automated machine measures the power and curvature of my patient’s eye and gives an excellent starting point to refine for the glasses prescription. At the touch of a button, this measurement imports directly to a small computer in my exam room, which controls the machine that sits against my patient’s face to flip lenses and finalize the glasses prescription.
To be honest, when I first started using the automated refraction equipment, I thought it was really just a dolled-up version of the older equipment. However, I’ve come to greatly appreciate its accuracy and efficiency when determining my patients’ prescriptions. By starting with a more accurate initial measurement, not only is the end result more accurate, but it also takes less time to arrive at that prescription. Not to mention the fact that both the patient and I are saved from the endless “1 or 2” questions (not eliminated, but definitely reduced!). Also, the computerized controls allow me to refine certain aspects of the prescription more exactly than I could with older machines and their less precise dials.
None of this is meant to take away from other doctors and what they are able to accomplish with their equipment. I’m just very grateful for my equipment and absolutely believe that it gives me the best opportunity to give my patients glasses and contacts that they will love!
Costco Eye Doctor 