We often have patients and family members ask why they have to wait or why their appointment is taking so long, especially if they see other patients called back before them. We recommend allowing 2-3 hours for your initial visit at Texas Retina Associates since special testing may be necessary. There are a number of factors that can influence how long your specific visit will take:

  1. A retina exam is more extensive than a routine eye exam that you would get from your primary ophthalmologist or optometrist. Our physicians and staff are committed to thoroughly understanding your specific condition and working in partnership with you to develop the best possible treatment plan.
  2. We always begin by dilating your eyes which is critical to conducting a thorough retina exam. Dilation times can vary among patients, taking anywhere from 10 minutes to 40 minutes. Factors that can influence dilation time include your age, eye color and specific eye condition (uveitis patients can take longer to dilate due to inflammation in their eyes). You will sit in our reception area while you wait for your eyes to dilate. Once your eyes are fully dilated, you will be called back to an exam room so that your retina physician can examine you.
  3. We offer diagnostic testing and some treatments, such as intravitreal injections, the same day as an exam if needed. Some practices require patients who have an exam to schedule a separate, future appointment if they determine any testing or treatment is needed. For the convenience of our patients, our physicians will perform diagnostic tests and some treatments, like injections, the same day as your exam, ensuring timely care and saving you an extra trip. 
  4. Some retinal conditions are emergencies, and we pledge to all of our patients and referring physicians to see urgent or emergency cases on a same-day basis. We do our best to work these patients into our daily schedule without impacting our patients who have appointments, but this can sometimes cause a delay. Please know that we are committed to providing you and all of our patients with urgent or emergency retina care if needed.
  5. Some of our offices have multiple Texas Retina Associates physicians working in the same office. So, if someone who arrived after you is called back before you, it could be because they are seeing a different physician. In addition, another patient could have had an earlier appointment time and had been sitting in the reception area while waiting to be fully dilated. 

At Texas Retina Associates, we work to keep delays to a minimum and pledge to do our best to keep you informed. Please know that providing quality care is our top priority. If you ever have any questions or concerns while you are here, please speak to one of our front desk team members. In addition, if you experience an unexpected delay and are unable to wait, we will understand and gladly reschedule your appointment as soon as possible.

For more information on what to expect from your Texas Retina Associates appointment, click here.