FAQ
“Vision is too precious a sense to lose to a treatable disease”
The best way to get our message
across is to make sure our presentations
are interactive. Audiences don’t like to
be talked to, they like to be talked with.
That’s why our presentations
include activities and tries to foster an
environment that encourages the
audience asks questions! These might
be during our presentations or one-on-
one during our activities.
Responding to Questions
Typically many questions we are asked are to confirm other parts of our presentation,
and are thus fairly easy to answer. If audiences show more interest in particular parts of the
presentation, for example, what exactly the ophthalmologists are looking for in the eye during
the eye exams, we can go into more detail than we otherwise might. The more questions we
are able to answer, the more the audience will take our message to heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are some questions we get asked commonly, here are some good responses:
How does glaucoma relate to cataracts/macular degeneration/astigmatism/near-
sightedness/far-sightedness/floaters/etc.?
These are all very distinct diseases, affecting different parts of the eye.
- Glaucoma involves a build-up of pressure within the eye that damages the optic nerve
causing vision loss from the peripheral vision outwards. Treatable but irreversible.
- Macular degeneration is damage to the retina that causes vision loss from central
vision outwards. Manageable, but not treatable and irreversible.
- Astigmatism/Near-sightedness/Far-sightedness involve the lens of the eye being mis-
shapen and can be corrected with glasses
- Floaters are annoying, but generally harmless pieces of debris floating within vitreous
humor that appear as spots in visual field. Generally left alone.
(see other eye disease page for more info link)
What are the eye exams like? What do they look for?
- Eye exams are simple, safe, and painless outpatient procedures that take up to 1 hour
- Doctors will dilate your pupil with eye drops so they can look at the back of your eye
- Doctors are looking for signs of cupping that would indicate early signs of glaucoma
- Doctors also look for other diseases like macular degeneration, etc.
(see eye exam page for more info link)
Referral to Ophthalmologists (Do not try to answer!)
However, we should not try to answer questions about material outside the scope of
our presentation. We are not qualified to make judgments best left to ophthalmologists with
years of training and knowledge. Here are some examples of commonly asked questions we
should encourage people refer to ophthalmologists:
Should I talk to a doctor about this? Yes! Annual eye exams can catch a variety of
diseases/conditions in their early stages.
Is Medicine X better than Medicine Y? Please talk to your ophthalmologist.
Is Doctor X better than Doctor Y? Simply refer to ophthalmologists participating in
Medicare, etc. Don’t make judgments.
My eye hurts. Speak with your ophthalmologist.
Should I stop taking my medication? Some eye medications do have side-effects.