Eye Care Clinic and Optical Shop

A routine vision exam begins with a health history. The optometrist (Doctor of Optometry) then:

• Will assess your ability to see clearly at near and far distances, eye coordination, color vision, depth perception, refractive error, and field of vision
• Will dilate your eyes and check the interior and exterior eye as well as the surrounding area for impairment and disease
• May prescribe medication, glasses or contact lenses, or vision therapy as needed

If you wear glasses or contacts, please bring your most recent pair of glasses and contacts, and make sure you know what brand of contacts you wear.

If possible, bring sunglasses because your eyes may be sensitive to the sun after dilation. If you forget sunglasses, we will provide a disposable pair.

Most people can drive after a visual exam. However, if you are farsighted you may have visual impairment and would have to wait a few hours to drive. For this reason, you may wish to make transportation arrangements before your exam.

Routine vision exams are an important part of preventive care.

It's recommended that you get a routine vision exam if you:

• Have a history of vision problems
• Wear contact lenses or glasses
• Experience squinting, blinking, rubbing eyes frequently, headaches, changes in vision or difficulty with visual concentration within arm's length, because these may be signs of eye problems

Also:

• People in their mid-20s to mid-30s who do not wear contact lenses should get an exam every two years.
• People in their mid-30s and older should get an exam annually, because changes in vision and focus, along with eye diseases, are more likely to develop.

• If you have a prescription for glasses, from UHS or from outside UHS, you can order glasses at the UHS Optical Shop. 
• You will need an appointment to order glasses. You will also need an appointment for adjustments and to pick up your order. 
• The Optical Shop will disinfect glasses and office surfaces between patients.
• You can select from a wide variety of frames for eyeglasses, sunglasses, sports and recreational glasses, and occupational safety glasses. Brands include Nike, Ray Ban, Michael Kors, Emporio Armani, and more.
• Due to optical lab restrictions, glasses may take 2-3 weeks to be made, although special orders may take longer.

Special deal for glasses: for as little as $149, you can now get a pair of glasses in our Optical Shop, with a new selection of frames (many designer styles!), single-vision polycarbonate lenses, and standard anti-reflective coating. This is a good deal if you don't have insurance that would cover glasses, or if you want a second pair. This offer cannot be combined with insurance or discounts. 

If you have a contact lens prescription that is less than one year old, we can fill your prescription. However, we cannot accept contact prescriptions from outside the U.S.

If your contact lens prescription was prescribed over one year ago, you must first receive a complete vision exam through the Eye Care Clinic for a contact lens evaluation.

You can order contacts in three ways:

1. Order contacts online: If you are a UHS eye care patient with a current prescription, you may order through YourLens.com. You must register first, either at the time of your appointment or by calling us at 734-763-0291 to register. After you register, visit the YourLens.com website: Order Contact Lenses at YourLens.com
2. Order by phone by calling us at 734-763-0291.
3. Order at your appointment: Your healthcare provider can order contacts for you after your prescription is finalized at the time of your appointment.

Talk with your eye doctor about proper care and wear, which are critical to maintaining the quality of your eye health and vision. Do not wear your contact lenses overnight because of the dramatic increase in eye diseases related to extended-wear contacts.

Also, if you will live in an isolated area for any length of time, make sure that there is a facility at which either rigid (RPG) or soft lenses can be checked or replaced as needed.  See also For Contact Lens Wearers: How to Care for Your Eyes When You Travel.

For currently enrolled U-M students (i.e. taking classes on the Ann Arbor campus)

• Medical office visits for acute eye care conditions. These visits are covered by the health service fee that is a part of tuition. Currently enrolled U-M students pay no additional fees. Examples of acute conditions include dry eye, red eye, eye pain, eye discharge, acute visual disturbances, foreign bodies, or injuries to the eye.
• Comprehensive vision exams. These visits are not covered by the health service fee. Cost will be based on your insurance benefits. See costs and insurance coverage.

For faculty and staff 

• Medical office visits for acute eye conditions. These visits are covered by U-M medical insurance and/or Medicare. Depending on your medical plan, you may need a referral from your primary care office and copays may apply.  
• Comprehensive vision exams. The cost for these visits is based on your insurance benefits. See costs and insurance coverage. 

We have instituted procedures that protect the safety of our patients and staff, including disinfecting rooms between patients. Masking is required for anyone with respiratory symptoms, positive COVID test results, or who has a household contact with COVID.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, we ask that you reschedule your routine vision exam until you are healthy:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms but have an urgent eye / vision problem, we will still see you in the Eye Care Clinic with full PPE.