Information to Relay

Here is some information you can use as a guideline when debriefing your doctor. State the patient's name, state the patient's chief complaint, give a general overview of the patient's health history, or any changes to the patient's health history, alert the doctor of any medications the patient is currently taking. This is a great time to report any abnormal results during the preliminary tests, anything that seems odd. Does the patient blink too much, itched their eyes during the entire work up, teared up while taking the auto-refractor measurements?​

Some of the most vital pieces of information that we can collect from the patient is their occupation and hobbies. This allows us to make an impact on patient’s lives through eye health management and improved visual performance. We work as a team to explain to patients WHY we are each contributing our recommendations, whether they are from the doctor in the exam room or from the optician out in the optical gallery.

Understanding a bit about home life, whether its marital or family status: Does the patient live with a spouse that can help dispense eye drops into the patient’s eyes? Is the patient a mother taking care of a newborn who wears contact lenses throughout the night during feeding, but has a minus 4 diopter prescription and could benefit from glasses that function better than her current pair? ​

​Also, remember to notify the doctor of anything they should be aware of when the doctor goes into the room, such a service animal, any accompanying guests, or anything similar to that nature. This allows the doctor to prepare prior to entering in the exam room. ​

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