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How To Find A New Optometrist Asheville

How To Find A New Optometrist Asheville

Surrounded by mile-high mountains and rich with culture, Asheville is one of the fastest-growing areas in North Carolina. Asheville’s population has increased nearly 25% since 2000, while Buncombe County has added 50,000 people since 2000. As new residents discover how great our city is, we want to help make sure you find the right eye care professional.

How To Find A New Optometrist In Asheville

In addition to the incredible beauty, cultural amenities, and excellent educational systems, western North Carolina benefits from nearby medical universities and the presence of Mission Health System. Nevertheless, finding new physicians, dentists, and eye care professionals is always difficult when moving to a new city.

Whether you are moving to or from Asheville or anywhere else, you may be dreading the process of finding new physicians, optometrists, dentists, and other healthcare professionals. Though we are located in western North Carolina, we intend for this post to be relevant wherever you reside. In this article, we will discuss tips for identifying a trustworthy eye care professional that meets your needs.

1. Ask Around For Personal Recommendations

With any health professional, it is important to establish a relationship that facilitates openness and honesty. In other words, you need to be comfortable with your eye doctor and eyecare professionals.

Part of what attracts people to Asheville is our closeness as a community. Whether you move here (or anywhere else) for work, a change of scenery, beautiful views, or a fulfilling retirement, ask around before you settle on an eye care professional. Someone who trusts their eye doctor will be happy to recommend them to others. A person will only put their own reputation on the line to a healthcare professional they trust. 

2. Look For A Community Member

An eye care professional does not necessarily need to be native to the area to care about the city and the people. However, a good provider will know the area, its culture, and its people well. Look for a provider who seems to have a good grasp of:

  • The general history of the area, especially as it relates to health
  • Places and activities people frequent
  • Community organizations and initiatives

A better understanding of the city in which they practice gives healthcare professionals a keener insight into the lives and personalities of the people they serve. 

For optometrists and eye care practices, participating in community events can be about more than just marketing opportunities. Festivals and events provide an opportunity for doctors and healthcare professionals to get to know their city and earn the trust of its residents.

3. Check Online Reviews

One of the great things that evolved from the information age is the availability of customer reviews on Google, Facebook, and other social media outlets. Small businesses, new products, and good ideas have consistently grown through word-of-mouth referrals, and internet reviews have made it possible to access those referrals with the click of a button.

If you are searching for a new optometrist, customer reviews can be vital in finding the practice that would best fit your needs and that of your family. But remember, sometimes good and bad experiences are matters of perception, misunderstanding, and miscommunication. To help you know how to discern useful reviews, regardless of industry, here are four key steps:

  • Check multiple review sources like Google, Facebook, or industry-specific directories
  • Look at the average rating
  • Take into account the number of reviews
  • Read reviews of different star ratings

4. Review Experience And Specializations

We mentioned this briefly at the beginning of this discussion, but ensure the optometrist is licensed to practice in your state and has the necessary certifications. While there is nothing wrong with a new practice, consider years of experience if you have a difficult eye condition.

If you are looking for a new optometrist and need more than regular eye exams, do some research to ensure the office offers the range of services you require. Some optometrists specialize in areas such as pediatric eye care, geriatric eye care, vision therapy, or contact lenses. Choose one whose expertise matches your needs.

5. Find A Convenient Location

As with looking for any new medical office to become a patient, you want a provider you can easily access and who can reliably provide the services you need.

While eye emergencies tend to be rarer, you want to look for an optometrist's office within a reasonable distance, with reasonable wait times for appointments and hours that work with your schedule. Some offices offer emergency services on-site, while others may partner with another location. Be sure to ask for this information upfront.

6. Verify Insurance Coverage And Payment Options

Whether you are moving to the area, staying short term for school or work, or just looking for a new care provider, it is important to look for an optometrist who accepts your vision insurance. Or if they offer flexible payment plans or financing options for treatments not covered by insurance.

Your insurance may even be able to help you with a list of eye care providers and specialists that they work with in the area. This info can be a big help to start your search knowing your current insurance will give you continuing coverage with minimal hassle.

Asheville Vision And Wellness Provides High Quality Care

Don’t let the brisk mountain air, allergies, hormonal changes, or aging keep you from seeing the beauty of the world around you.  Asheville Vision and Wellness is dedicated to providing the best eye care in the region with highly trained staff and the latest technology.  We have provided Asheville and the greater area of Western North Carolina with the best care and latest technology available.

If you are new to the Asheville area, give us a call today! Asheville’s most trusted optometrist and eye care specialists are happy to help you with all of your eye care needs.