Frequently Asked Questions

Discover answers to common questions about our services at Viewpoint Specialist Eye Centres. Whether you're curious about treatments, appointments, or general eye care, our FAQ section provides helpful information to guide you.

• How often should I have an eye exam?

  Your doctor will recommend the appropriate schedule for your exams. This is usually based on factors such as your previous vision and eye health history and family history. In general, we recommend that children up to 19 years old and adults 65 years old and over have an eye exam every year. Adults between 18 and 64 years old will have eye exams every 1-2 years based on the above factors.

• My vision is normal, why do I have to see the Doctor?

  Gradual changes in vision and eye health may not be noticeable by the patient. Some of these changes can lead to major vision loss or poor eye health if not treated on time. Often, these changes are painless and occur only in one eye. Because of this, patients often miss the signals of the onset of a problem. Only after an initial examination, can the doctor recommend the right schedule for each patient.

• What should I bring for my appointment?

  • All recent glasses (both distance and near)
  • Current medication list and eye drops.
  • Viewpoint card ID (for old patients).
  • HMO ID card and referral with authorization code (for HMO patients).
  • Sunglasses (as you may have drops to dilate your eyes during the appointment).

• Do I get a copy of my prescription?

  When your eye exam is completed, a copy of your lens’s prescription will be provided for you immediately after your lenses are ordered.

• I’m over 40 and I can’t read well up close. Why?

  The closer we hold something, the more focusing our eyes have to do to keep things clear. As we get older and reach the age of about 40 to 45, the lens inside our eyes becomes less able to change shape and focus for up close, and we will prefer to hold things further away to keep them clear. This is called PRESBYOPIA. Some people begin to think their arms simply aren’t long enough! Reading glasses, bifocal or progressive lenses will take care of this problem easily enough.

• What are Progressive lenses?

  A type of bifocal/trifocal characterized by a gradient of increasing lens power, added to the wearer’s correction for the other refractive errors. They are free of segments or lines on the surface.

• Do I have to wear sunglasses?

  It’s recommended that you always wear protective lenses outdoors – even on overcast days. Sunglasses protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolent (UV) rays, and exposure to these rays has been associated with the development of cataracts and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). Quality sunglasses protect your eyes by blocking 100 percent of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Sunglasses also protect the delicate skin around the eyes from UV rays that cause wrinkles and premature aging.

• Do you treat glaucoma, macular degeneration and other serious conditions?

  Yes, we provide a detailed evaluation and treatment plan for eye diseases. We have Glaucoma specialist, Vitreoretinal surgeons etc. Early detection of these conditions is important, but many options are still available for those with longstanding eye conditions.