What happens at your first eye appointment

Before you arrive

Maybe it has been ten years since your last eye test, or you have never had one. Maybe a headache, a blurry whiteboard or a family member's glaucoma finally pushed you to book. Whatever brought you here, the appointment itself is calm and mostly conversation.

NVISION Eyecare is on Level 1, Suite 104 of the Apollo Health & Wellness Centre, 119 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, just off the motorway near Albany, with easy on-site parking. We are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with earlier appointments available on request, and Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Directions are on our contact page.

You do not need a referral from a GP. In New Zealand you can book directly with an optometrist for most eye concerns, and that is true for any appointment with us. How long to allow depends on what is being checked, so ask when you book. A separate checklist of what to bring covers glasses, contact lens boxes and cards.

The questions come first

The first few minutes are talking, not testing. Our optometrists want to know why you came, what you have noticed and when it started: blur at distance or up close, headaches after screens, grittiness by late afternoon, glare when driving at night. If nothing is wrong and you just want a check, say so. That is a good reason too.

Expect questions about your general health, any medicines you take, and whether anyone in your family has had glaucoma, diabetes or macular degeneration. The American Academy of Ophthalmology lists family history and current medicines as standard parts of an eye exam, because both change what the optometrist looks for.

You will also be asked about your day: how much screen time, whether you drive, what you do for work, whether you play sport. A prescription for a truck driver and a prescription for a jeweller are worked out differently.

The tests, in the order you will usually meet them

Every practice has its own routine, and not every test is needed for every person. These are the parts a comprehensive exam usually includes, in roughly the order they tend to happen. Our what a comprehensive eye exam checks guide explains what each one is looking for in more depth.

• The chart. You read letters from a chart, one eye at a time, with your current glasses if you have them. This measures how clearly you see, not how healthy your eyes are.
• The prescription check. A frame of lenses sits in front of your eyes and you are asked, again and again, which of two views is clearer. There are no wrong answers, and saying "they look the same" is a useful answer.
• Eye movement and alignment. You follow a small target with your eyes while the optometrist watches how they move and work together.
• The bright light. A light is shone into each eye for a few seconds to check how the pupils respond.
• Eye pressure. Either a quick puff of air or a gentle touch with a small probe after a numbing drop. It is over in seconds and screens for glaucoma.
• The chin rest. You rest your chin and forehead on a microscope called a slit lamp while the optometrist looks at your eyelids, cornea, iris and lens under magnification.
• The back of the eye. A wide, high definition photo of the retina is included with every eye exam at NVISION. Extra scans such as OCT or a visual fields test are listed separately on our fees page and are added only when there is a reason.

Dilating drops, if you need them

Not every exam involves dilating drops. They are used when the optometrist needs a wider view of the retina and optic nerve, for example if you have diabetes, a family history of eye disease, or a symptom that needs a closer look.

The drops make the pupil open wide and stop it closing in bright light. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says pupils take about 20 to 30 minutes to open fully and the effects last a few to several hours, longer in children and young adults. Near vision goes blurry and bright light feels harsh.

That matters for driving. Healthify NZ says an optometrist would usually advise you not to drive for a few hours afterwards, and the Academy says it may not be safe to drive yourself. If there is any chance of dilation, bring sunglasses and arrange a lift, or plan to sit in the centre for a while. If you need to drive straight after, say so when you book and ask whether dilation can be planned for another visit.

Your results and the plan

The appointment ends with an explanation, not a form. Our optometrists show you what they found on the retinal image and talk through what it means in plain words. Ask for a copy of your prescription if you want one; it is yours to use.

The plan might be nothing more than "see you in two years". It might be new glasses, a contact lens fitting, a follow-up scan, or a referral. Optometrists in New Zealand refer to an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who treats eye disease and performs surgery, when further investigation or treatment is needed. If that happens, we explain why and arrange it.

Our fees are published on the consultation fees page. NVISION is a Southern Cross Easy Claim partner, administers the Enable under-16 spectacle subsidy and the Ministry of Health contact lens subsidy, and accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express, plus Q Card and Gem Visa. The insurance and funding page explains each one. The older post understanding your eye exam covers similar ground from a different angle.

When an appointment is the wrong place

Some things should not wait for a booked slot. Healthify NZ says to call 111 or get medical care immediately for sudden loss of vision, a strong chemical such as oven cleaner or bleach in the eye, anything that has pierced the eye, or blurred or lost vision after an injury. For a chemical splash, flush the eye with clean, cool running water for at least 15 minutes, then go to the nearest emergency department.

A shadow or curtain across your vision, or new flashes with a sudden shower of floaters, needs same-day advice from an optometrist, your GP or an emergency department rather than a routine booking. A red, painful eye with light sensitivity, halos around lights or nausea needs urgent care too.

If you are not sure, Healthline on 0800 611 116 is free, open 24 hours a day and staffed by nurses and paramedics. Our guide to optometrist, GP or hospital eye clinic walks through who to see first, symptom by symptom.

What happens next

If you are ready, the eye examinations page describes the exam itself, and the team page introduces the two optometrists you might see. Book by phone on 09-475 5548 or online, and mention anything you are nervous about. It helps us plan the visit around you.