Important General Notices Regarding Our Appointments

+ Cancellation policy.

Appointments represent time specifically set aside by our doctors for you. Many practices overbook on purpose so that the "no call, no show" appointments do not create a problem. Because we value and respect your time, we do not overbook our schedule so we kindly ask that you give us 48 hour advanced notice to allow adequate time for us to schedule another patient in your time slot. There may be a $50 fee for no show appointments or cancellations less than 48 hours of your appointment charged as a nonrefundable deposit for future appointments. We do realize that unexpected things do come up so there is only a charge for repeated last minute cancellations. Please call us for any clarification on our cancellation policy.

+ Insurance/Uninsured.

All payments (including copays and deductibles) are due at the time of service. We make every effort to check if you are in network before your appointment, but we can not guarantee your specific benefits and eligibility. It is the patient’s sole responsibility to inquire about all benefits (and payment) with the insurance company before your appointment. If you are uninsured, we comply with the No Surprise Act so please call us before your appointment for a good faith estimate of our fees. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions and concerns.

+ Minimizing your wait time.

As a courtesy to those who have an appointment after you, please be on-time to your appointment. Also, if you are late, you are reducing the time the doctor has to address your vision needs. If you are not able to submit your online form prior to your appointment, please arrive early for paperwork so that your appointment starts on time. If we are not able to start your exam within 15 minutes of your appointment time, you may be asked to reschedule. Please let the receptionist know a day before your appointment if you will be in a rush and need to be out by a certain time so we can do our best to accommodate you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

+ What should I bring to my routine eye exam?

If you are new patient, please bring in your most recent glasses and contact lens prescription so we can let you know if your prescription has changed. If you have unusual ocular history, please have your previous eye doctor fax (512-364-0662) or email (hello@eyejoytexas.com) us your most recent medical records.

+ What does a routine eye examine involve? 

There are 2 parts to a routine eye examine. First, we check your vision to determine if you need glasses to help you see better. The second part is examining your eye health to check for common eye conditions.

+ How do you check the health of my eyes?  

The doctor is able to examine the front of everyone's eye without special testing. Checking the inside of the eye is limited by the size of your pupil. When the doctor shines a light to peek inside your eye, your pupils constrict, making it more difficult to look. To assist the doctor to get a better view, we recommend you get your eyes dilated (no additional charge) as well as photos (additional charge) of the inside of your eye.

 + What does it mean to get my eyes dilated?

We instill eye drops to get your eyes to dilate. Expect your examination to take over an hour if we dilate your eyes. Please be aware that dilation can cause your vision to be blurry for about 4-6 hours, especially at near. You will most likely not be able to read for several hours after your eye exam. If this is your first time getting your eyes dilated, please have someone drive you after your eye examination. 

+ What is Optomap retinal imaging and how is it different from dilation?

Dilating your eyes allows the doctor to get the widest view of the inside of your eyes, but some individuals are very light sensitive and have difficulty keeping their eyes during this procedure so the doctor's view will be limited. Taking a photo of the inside of your eye can allow the doctor to get a more detailed assessment of your eye health to check for certain eye conditions such as macular degeneration, melanoma, and diabetic retinopathy. The retinal imaging takes less than a minutes and there are no side effects such as blurred vision. Our doctors recommend all patients regardless of age to get both dilation as well as the retinal imaging. If you are not able to get dilated due to the side effects, we highly encourage to you get the retinal photo taken. The doctor will review the photos with you and it's pretty cool to be able to see the inside of your own eye! If you have an eye phobia and don't want the photos reviewed with you, no worries. Just let us know and we'll discuss your eye health without showing you the pictures. Click here to find out more about retinal imaging.

+ If I decline the dilation, can I still get a glasses or contact lens Rx?

Yes, we will still give you a glasses or contact lens prescription. 

+ What does a contact lens exam involve?

The doctor will discuss various contact lens options based on your prescription. You'll receive a complimentary pair of contact lens to ensure you're seeing well and that the contact lenses are comfortable. If you need to try different powers or brands of contact lens, there is no additional charge for this within 2 months of your initial contact lens exam. 

+ What can I expect trying contacts for the first time?

After the doctor determines the best type of contact lens based on your prescription and eye health, we will spend about 20 minutes for your contact lens insertion and removal training. After your training, you'll go home with the contact lens to try them for about a week. The doctor will see you back to make sure you're doing well with the contacts. Be sure to come back for your follow-up exam wearing the contact lens (it's important to let us know in advance if you're not able to). Once the doctor has assessed you're experiencing good vision and comfort with the contacts, you'll be given a prescription to order contacts. Our staff will assist you with ordering.

+ Can I just get a contact lens Rx and not a glasses Rx?

The doctor will first need to determine what your glasses prescription is and then convert this to your contact lens prescription. We've already done the work to get your glasses prescription so whenever you come in for a contact lens exam, you'll get a copy of both your glasses and contact lens prescriptions. There is no additional cost to get your glasses prescription.

+ Why is there an expiration on my glasses and contact lens Rx?

Our bodies and our eyes are constantly changing and an annual eye examine will make sure that your glasses and contact lenses are giving you the best possible vision. Contact lenses are medical devices regulated by the FDA so an eye doctor is required to place an expiration date on all contact lens prescriptions. The doctor needs to examine your eyes annually to make sure they are still healthy enough to continue wearing contacts. The standard expiration time in Texas for glasses and contact lens prescriptions is one year.

+ Do you see young children?

Younger patients can benefit from seeing an eye doctor who specializes in pediatric optometry or ophthalmology. Our specialty is not pediatrics, but if you are seeking a routine eye exam for your child, we can see patients 7 years old and up.