Prepare for your visit
Use this checklist to plan a conversation with your clinician. Keep personal notes on paper or in your own records; this page does not collect them.
What to bring
- A list of your questions and concerns, with the most important ones first.
- Notes about any symptoms, including when they began and what seems to improve or worsen them.
- A current medicine and allergy list. Include prescriptions, nonprescription products, eye drops, vitamins, herbs, and supplements.
- A notebook or another way to record your clinician’s instructions.
- A trusted person, if you would like help remembering the discussion.
Ask the clinic beforehand which records or paperwork it needs. If you need an interpreter, contact the clinic ahead of time.
Sources: MedlinePlus: talking with your doctor · FDA: you and your medicines
Questions about medicines
Take these questions to your clinician or pharmacist.
- What benefit should I expect, and how will we check whether this medicine is helping?
- Can you explain the instructions and give me a written plan?
- Which side effects should I watch for, and who should I contact if they happen?
- Could this medicine interact with anything else I take, eat, or drink?
- What is the plan if I miss a dose or have trouble following the instructions?
Discuss changes with your clinician or pharmacist. Do not change or stop prescribed medicines based on this checklist.
Preparing for an eye exam
Read what common eye tests involve, including dilation, OCT scans, visual-field tests, and eye-pressure checks.
- Write down your vision concerns and questions to discuss with the eye doctor.
- Ask which tests are planned, what they can show, and when results will be available.
- Check the clinic’s preparation instructions and ask whether dilation is planned.
- Before leaving, confirm the next steps and ask for a written summary.
If dilation is planned: arrange for someone to drive you home. The drops widen your pupils so the doctor can look inside your eyes. Your vision may be blurry and sensitive to light for a few hours afterward. Follow your eye clinic’s instructions.
Sources: National Eye Institute: a dilated eye exam · Talking with your eye doctor
Source links checked September 27, 2026. Independent clinician review is still pending. This educational guide does not book an appointment or provide personal medical advice.