Your First Visit: What to Expect at Lucent Family Eye Care

Children’s vision is often overlooked, as young patients may have difficulty expressing their visual experiences in a way that adults can understand. Recognizing vision issues in children requires careful attention to subtle signs and symptoms.
As a child’s eyes develop, a variety of vision problems can occur. Beyond refractive errors such as nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia), children may experience other visual or perceptual conditions that are not always detected during routine vision screenings. These can include astigmatism, amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (eye misalignment), convergence insufficiency, and difficulties with visual processing or tracking.
Early detection and comprehensive eye examinations are essential to identify and address these issues, supporting your child’s visual development and overall well-being.

Before Your Appointment: What to Bring

When you book your appointment at Lucent Family Eye Care, we’ll ask for a few details to ensure a smooth check-in process.

Be ready to provide your:

Full name
Date of birth
Phone number and email address

To make the most of your visit, we ask patients to bring the following:

Your BC Care Card and any extended health insurance information (we can direct bill many insurance providers, but you’ll need to check your eligibility beforehand).
Your current glasses, even if they’re old or broken—this helps us compare your current prescription.
Contact lens details (if applicable)—bring your lens boxes or prescription details.
A list of medications you’re currently taking, as some can impact eye health.

We recommend arriving 5–10 minutes before your scheduled time. This allows us to check you in, update any information, and begin your pre-testing without feeling rushed.

Parking is available both on the street (free) and in a paid parkade downstairs, so plan accordingly.

Your Eye Exam: The Pre-Testing Process

Before you see the optometrist, you’ll go through pre-testing with our trained staff. These quick, non-invasive tests help us assess your eye health and vision needs.

What happens in pre-testing?

OCT Scan & Retinal Imaging: Advanced technology takes detailed images of the back of your eye, allowing us to detect early signs of conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Prescription Measurement: A computerized system estimates your prescription to give your optometrist a starting point.
Glasses Measurement: If you wear glasses, we’ll check their prescription to compare it with your vision needs.
Eye Pressure Check: Using a gentle puff of air, we measure intraocular pressure, helping us screen for glaucoma.

All of these tests are completely painless—you’ll simply look into a machine while it does the work.

Once pre-testing is complete, we send the results to your optometrist, who will review them before your exam begins.

The Eye Exam: Meeting with Your Optometrist

After pre-testing, you’ll meet with one of our experienced optometrists for the main portion of your eye exam. This is where we assess your vision and overall eye health in detail.

Here’s what to expect during your consultation:

Discussion of Your Eye Health & Concerns: Your optometrist will review your medical history, discuss any vision changes, and address any concerns you may have about your eyesight.
Refraction Test: This is the part of the exam where you look through a device and compare lens options to determine your precise prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
Slit-Lamp Examination: Using a special microscope and light, your optometrist will examine the structures of your eye, including the cornea, lens, and retina, to check for any abnormalities or early signs of eye diseases.
Additional Testing as Needed: If necessary, your optometrist may perform further tests to assess your peripheral vision, colour vision, or depth perception.

Throughout the exam, we explain each step in clear, simple terms so you always know what’s happening. Our goal is to make the process as comfortable and informative as possible.

Next Steps: Your Personalized Eye Care Plan

At the end of your exam, your optometrist will go over your results and recommend the best course of action based on your needs.

This may include:

A new prescription for glasses or contact lenses if your vision has changed.
Dry eye treatment recommendations if symptoms like irritation or redness are present.
Myopia management options for children or adults looking to slow the progression of nearsightedness.
Further medical evaluations or treatments if early signs of conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration are detected.

If glasses or contact lenses are needed, our team can help you explore a wide selection of frames and lenses tailored to your lifestyle and vision needs.

Book Your Eye Exam at Lucent Family Eye Care

Regular eye exams are essential for maintaining clear vision and long-term eye health. Whether you’re due for a routine check-up or have specific concerns, Lucent Family Eye Care is here to provide expert, compassionate care for you and your family.

Schedule your appointment today and experience the difference of modern, patient-focused eye care.