How do you know whether or not you’ve got the right doctor when picking your vision correction surgeon? It truly can be a difficult and challenging decision as there are many types of eye surgeons. Of course, one of the very best sources of really good doctors is the old word-of-mouth. So if you’ve got some friends who wear contacts or glasses and you know they’ve been with their doctor for many years, there’s a pretty good chance they would be a good ophthalmologist for you too.

Now once you find a potentially suitible eye doctor, you may want to run some questions by them (or their receptionists if you’re just calling) when considering them:

1. How long has the doctor been in practice?

2. How long does the examination take?

3. Will your eyes be dilated for the examination?

4. How much does the examination cost?

5. Does the doctor specialize in (or have experience with) the particular condition or service you are interested in?

6. Will a case history be taken? (Be sure the doctor sits down and talks about your problems, medical history, medications, and lifestyle.)

7. How extensive is the examination form? (Although the form will probably look mysterious, see how big it is and how much of it should be filled out by the end of the examination. Be suspicious of an examination form that’s the size of an index card.)

8. Is a full range of distance and near-vision tests included in the examination?

9. Is a glaucoma test a regular part of the examination?

10. Does the doctor work with a number of different contact lens companies? (If you want contact lenses, it’s important to have a doctor who is not tied to one manufacturer. There are many different kinds of contacts available now.)

11. Will the doctor describe the different tests while performing them?

12. Does the doctor offer treatment alternatives (for example, contact lenses, glasses, or vision therapy) according to the patient’s preferences?

13. Does the doctor regularly refer patients to other doctors when appropriate or necessary?

Much of what you determine about a doctor will be based on plain old gut feelings about the office in general. If you feel you aren’t getting high-quality, personalized service from your eye doctor, you may want to go elsewhere. Sometimes it takes a little faith and trust to find a good eye-care professional. A good eye doctor can be tough to find, but once you find one, stay with them, and appreciate your good vision care.