Every visit starts with taking a good history, checking the visual function, vision and eye alignment. New patients should expect to have a dilated eye exam as this is the best way to examine the internal structures of the eye and to best measure if there is any needed treatment for farsightedness, nearsightedness and/or astigmatism. Dilated requires drops to be placed into the eyes and about 20-40 minutes for the drops to take effect.

Dilation drops allow the dilation of the pupils which can sometimes last as long as a day, however the blurriness and or light sensitivity from the drops usually lasts 2-6 hours.

If dilation is required, expect the visit to last at least 90 minutes. If dilation is not required, the visit should be less than an hour. However, we can never predict the complexity of patients, unexpected emergencies and other possible delays that can sometimes result in longer visits for our patients. Know that Dr. de Castro and the team will give each patient and their family the time, care and expertise that their individual circumstance require.

For more information on dilation, please visit the FAQ section.

You can also watch this video for more information

It is not mandatory to have an official referral to see Dr. de Castro, but please ensure that the referring provider sends their referral note or request ahead of the appointment. Also, remember to bring any test results obtained before the appointment. All testing, including failed vision screening testing, can be very useful in Dr. de Castro's assessment.