Having your vision and eyes checked regularly is important if you want to maintain healthy eyes and ensure that you have an up-to-date prescription for contacts or glasses, if necessary. If you want to make sure that you are properly prepared for your upcoming appointment, follow these tips.

1. Bring Your Glasses or Contacts Case

Even if you have not noticed any changes in your vision, your eye doctor will still generally want to test your vision without your contacts or glasses. If you do happen to wear contacts or glasses, make sure that you bring along your contacts or glasses case so that you can remove them for your appointment. Some people find that it is easier to avoid wearing their contacts and to instead wear their glasses -- if they have them -- so that they do not have to worry about removing their contacts while they are in the office. If you bring along your contacts, you can then put them in after your exam.

2. Write Down a List of Questions and Concerns

It can be easy to forget about the little questions or concerns that you might have in your mind when you're actually at your appointment. Before your eye exam, take the time to jot down any questions or concerns that you might have, such as about your vision or your eyes in general. For example, if you have noticed that you have trouble seeing at night when you're driving even though your vision seems the same the rest of the time, or if you suffer from dryness in your eyes, you may want to write these things down to help you remember to mention them to your eye doctor when you go to your appointment.

3. Find Someone Else to Drive

Even though this does not always have to be done at every eye exam, your optometrist might choose to dilate your pupils so that he or she can get a better look. If this is the case, then you will need someone else to drive you home for safety reasons. Make arrangements for this before your appointment so that your doctor can dilate your pupils if necessary and so that you don't have to worry about transportation home after your appointment.

A routine eye exam shouldn't be a big deal, but ensuring that you are properly prepared for your appointment can help you avoid any problems. If you follow these three tips -- as well as any advice that your optometrist or his or her office staff might have given you over the phone when you set your appointment -- then you can be as prepared as possible for your eye exam.