When you're searching for an optometrist in Gig Harbor, you will find that you have some wonderful and excellent doctors to choose from. The Tacoma area has no shortage of highly qualified eye care experts, that's for sure. The people in the Pacific Northwest, really do care for their eyes.
But what exactly should you look for in an eye doctor? Here are 5 things to consider:
1. Are you looking for an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
The difference here is that an ophthalmologist can perform surgeries but an optometrist does not. Both however can do eye exams, prescribe medication, and treat medical issues.
After getting a 4-year undergraduate degree, an optometrist then goes for 4 more years at optometry school, learning about the myriad of eye and body diseases that can be caught at an eye exam.
An ophthalmologist goes to 3 years of medical school then residency in ophthalmology, where they specialize in surgeries of the eyes.
2. Research the optometrist's experience.
When it comes to managing vision or eye care issues, experience matters - highly. What may start off as just blurred vision, or nearsightedness, could turn out to be a deeper and more serious medical issue. Choosing an eye doctor that takes a preventative approach to vision care is also a quality to look for.
This is especially true when it comes to children. Myopia or nearsightedness in children is an all too common condition that tends to get a band-aid style solution that doesn't actually prevent the child's vision from getting worse. Dr. Kandi Moller is very passionate about helping children manage their myopia to prevent their vision from getting worse as adults.
Just getting a stronger prescription may alleviate the issue temporarily, however, it could cause more problems down the line. An experienced eye doctor will know what to look for, what questions to ask, and will have the proper medical equipment to examine your eyes to determine what may be the underlying issue to your vision impairments.
3. Check their reviews online - always.
Does the eye doctor you're looking for have a professional website?
Do they have active social media accounts?
Do they have stellar reviews?
Have you heard good things about them from friends in your community?
These are a few questions to ask yourself before choosing an eye doctor in Gig Harbor. Google My Business is an excellent place to start your research, as many professional offices have established Google My Business profiles which they update regularly.
GMB is also a great source to read reviews.
4. Personality and Communication Compatibility
Regardless of the profession, choosing a medical profession that you jive with and get along with is extremely important! Sometimes people tend to just pick a professional if they are available and take their insurance.
While there is nothing wrong with this, we believe there's more to eye care and an eye clinic that has stuffy and uptight medical bedside manners.
At Eye Candy Optical we want you to have fun! Laugh with us, sing with us, and dance with us - that's our motto. Who said that going to the doctor had to be boring?
Our goal is to make you feel at home and at ease in our eye clinic in Gig Harbor. You shouldn't feel nervous about coming in and receiving the outcome of your eye exams.
5. The big question - do they take your insurance?
Ah, the question everyone wants to know.
Understand there is medical insurance that covers eye diseases and issues like diabetes, cataracts, dry eyes, styes, allergies, and more. This is different from vision discount plans, which only discount the amount you pay for a vision exam to find your prescription and screen for diseases. Vision exams and plans do not provide any care, treatment, management, recommendations, prescriptions, referrals, or discussion of diseases or medical issues. Often folks think a new pair of glasses will fix their concern, but they may have a disease that is causing their issues; that visit would be billed to medical coverage, not vision.
If you don't have insurance or a vision plan, ask your eye doctor what alternative payments they provide.
Do they have a membership plan that allows you to save on glasses and future check-ups?
Do they have a CareCredit option to allow you to finance your prescriptions and procedures, like Neurolens or Orthokeratology?
What Sets Eye Candy Optical Above The Rest?
Eye Candy Optical has found vision discount plans to dictate the level and quality of care you receive. Their products and labs are not the caliber we want to provide to our family and friends, our patients. We also like freedom of choice and personal decision-making.
Rather than have contracts with these discount vision plans, we make it as easy as we can for you and us. We look up your benefits, you pay us, we submit the claim for you, and you get the allowed amount reimbursed to you. We can often double the glasses benefits, too! This lets you have freedom to choose from any of our independent, non-corporate affiliated frame lines, our latest-technology lenses, and experience our level of service.
In our experience, many people put off their vision health for years, which can end up with costlier procedures and prescriptions down the line. In this case the saying is all too true - you get what you pay for.
About Dr. Kandi Moller, Optometrist
As an optometrist, Dr. Moller can not only find your prescriptions for glasses and contacts, she can also manage and treat many eye diseases, such as diabetes, cataracts, glaucoma, and infections. She also has special interests in treating the epidemic of myopia and fitting patients into overnight vision correction. She is hands-on and vested in making her patients happy and have an enjoyable time in her office.
Our Eye Care Commitment to Gig Harbor
At Eye Candy Optical in Gig Harbor, we believe your vision is your most valuable sense and deserves the best medical care. Feel free to read our Google Reviews, browse our website, and scroll through our @eyecandyuptown Instagram page to help you make an informed decision about our concierge eye care clinic.
Want to get started now? Book an appointment directly through our website. You will receive a reply within 24 hours. We look forward to helping you look and see your very best!
Call our medical office in Gig Harbor to learn more:
(253) 432-4303, or email us at info@eyecandy-optical.com.