What to Expect at Your Pet’s First Visit

Veterinary Eye Treatment FAQs & Information

Wondering what to expect at your pet’s first eye exam or ophthalmology appointment? We’ve provided a list of frequently asked questions, as well as relevant information to help you prepare for your visit to Animal Eye Care. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact one of our offices to speak to an eye veterinarian in Virginia, South Carolina, or North Carolina.

Call us at (800) 608-9161 or contact us online today! We look forward to hearing from you.

How can I prepare for my pet’s appointment?

1. Please bring all of your pet’s current eye medications and a list of any current medications they are taking for other medical conditions. This helps our board certified veterinary ophthalmologists treat your pet’s eye condition appropriately and avoids us prescribing medications that you may already have. Bringing heartworm and flea/tick preventatives is not necessary.
2. We would very much appreciate that all pets be on a leash or in a carrier. This helps ensure the safety of your pet, our staff, and other pets waiting for their appointments.
3. We certainly understand that some pets are nervous, fearful, and/or protective of you when visiting the veterinarian. If you feel your pet may express aggression towards our doctors, staff, or other pets, please notify us when you arrive. We would never hold your pet’s behavior against you or them, and we are committed to helping them no matter the circumstances. Notifying us of potential aggressive behavior ahead of time helps us ensure your pet’s visit is as safe and stress-free as possible.

Will I need to bring or fill out paperwork for my pet’s appointment?

We do require that all new patients fill out an information form so that we can enter the relevant information into our computer system. We ask you to arrive with your pet 15 minutes prior to your initial appointment so that you have plenty of time to fill out the necessary paperwork. Paperwork can be filled out prior to your appointment by clicking here to download our new client information sheet.

Will my pet be taken to the back for an examination without me being present?

No. After information has been entered into our computer system, a nurse will escort you and your pet to an examination room. Once in the room, the nurse will take a brief history regarding the reason for your visit and will take pictures of your pet's eyes for our medical records. Shortly afterward, an ophthalmologist will enter the room, ask you a few questions, and begin their examination.

Will additional testing be performed on my pet before I see the doctor?

Our board certified veterinary ophthalmologists may ask the nurse to perform routine testing prior to entering the room. This helps aid in the diagnosis of your pet’s eye condition. Routine testing is non-invasive and non-painful. Any recommended non-routine testing will be discussed with you in advance.

Testing is additional to your exam fee. Feel free to ask one of our staff about the cost of testing. If you’re not comfortable with testing prior to your pet's examination, please let our staff know and testing will be performed during/after the doctor’s examination pending discussion.

What if I am late for my appointment? Will I still be seen?

We understand that life can be unpredictable and that finding a new doctor’s office for the first time can be challenging. If circumstances arise that cause you to be late for your appointment, we will make every effort to still examine your pet. However, this may require an extended waiting period before an exam room becomes available. Depending on the timing of your arrival, and the daily schedule, we may need to reschedule your appointment. If you are running late, please call our office. Advanced notice will help us be able to accommodate you as best as possible.

Additional Information

Call to Make an Appointment

We evaluate patients by appointment only. We have appointments in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings on certain days.

Convenient Drop Off

We offer appointment times that are convenient to your schedule and vary by location. You are welcome to have your pet spend the day with us if it is easier to drop him/her off in the morning and pick him/her up later in the day.

What to Bring

Bring all your pet’s current medications, even the ones they take for non-eye problems. However, you do not need to bring their medications for heartworms or parasites, just medications for medical conditions.

Appointment Length

Most of our patients require 15 to 30 minutes to evaluate. Owners often spend 30 to 45 minutes at our hospital. While we pride ourselves on being efficient and on time, approximately 30% of our patients are emergencies. As a result, emergencies can alter our schedule or prevent us from being on time. When we know an emergency will alter our schedule, we will try to contact people with later appointments to let them know. But, sometimes, there is more waiting than average due to emergencies.

We ask that you please be on time. Despite emergencies, the number one cause of people waiting at our office is patients arriving late for appointments. This can force us to be late for all subsequent appointments that day. If you are running late, please call us and we can try to reschedule your appointment or find a later time that day.

For Patients Having Surgery

Our surgical patients will spend most if not all of the day with us. Depending on the surgery, we ask that patients drop their pets off as instructed. Most patients are ready to go home the same day, but there is quite a variation in when a patient is able to go home.

We cannot guarantee the order of our surgeries, as many factors—such as emergency surgeries, the need for pre-operative medications, and the response to medications—determine the order and timing of surgeries.

If your pet has diabetes mellitus, please bring your pet’s insulin. You do not need to bring insulin syringes. We will monitor the glucose of our patients with diabetes mellitus and administer their insulin as indicated.

For more information, give us a call at (800) 608-9161 to speak to an animal veterinary ophthalmologist at one of our Virginia, South Carolina, or North Carolina offices.