Frequently Asked Questions

Annual Comprehensive Eye Examination

Eyeglasses

Contacts

Annual Comprehensive Exam

Q: Why do I need an eye health examination?

A: It is just as important to have your eyes examined as it is to go to your dentist and primary care physician every year. A lot of eye diseases and complications can occur without you ever noticing until it is too late to reverse.
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Q: Why should I come to your office?

A: Our staff & doctors have years of experience and are trained to use state of the art equipment to provide you with a comprehensive eye examination. Our office also has its own optical with nearly 1,000 frames to choose from with skilled opticians to help guide you in your selection of eyeglasses and sunglasses. You may also purchase your contact lenses at our office. We stock an assortment of brands & prescriptions and if we do not have yours on hand, it will typically take 1-5 business days for them to arrive at our office or we can directly ship a year supply to your home at no additional cost!
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Q: How long does an eye appointment typically take?

A: You should allot 1 hour for your annual eye health examination and an additional 15 minutes if you are a contact lens wearer. You may need additional time with one of our technicians to help train you how to take care and use contacts.
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Q: What information do you need from me before my appointment?

A: You may fill out your forms online on our website. We will need to see your ID and medical insurance as well. We ask for ID to prevent insurance fraud and a copy of your medical insurance card is needed just in case we need to refer you for further testing.
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Q: Do I need to bring anything to my appointment?

A: Do bring any prescription eyewear you may own, as well as insurance information, photo id, co-payment, and list of current medications. If you are new to our office and wear contacts, you should bring in a box for each eye so your optometrist can easily make recommendations.
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Q: What is a dilation and how long does it take to wear off?

A: Your optometrist may need to dilate your pupils to get a better view of your retinas. This involves a dilation drop that will make your pupils large and return to normal function in 3-4 hours. This will affect your near vision making it blurry to read but still easy to see far away and drive home. We recommend most patients having this done every year for a thorough eye health examination.
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Q: What is retinal imaging?

A: Retinal imaging is a great tool that enables us to take a photo of your retinas. This complements your examination and is a great screening tool to help detect eye problems and disease.
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Eyeglasses

Q: Why should I purchase my glasses from you?

A: We want you to see, look, and feel your best with your new eyewear. We will have what you need whether you are going for the newest look or trying to keep a budget. Our optical stocks an assortment of frames for you to choose from and our opticians have years of experience to guide you in your frame & lens selection. We will also provide you with a brand new case, cloth and eyeglass cleaner when you purchase glasses. We provide a free 1 year warranty for most of our frames and lenses. We extend that free warranty to 2 years when you purchase a qualifying scratch resistant coating or anti-reflection coating such as Purecoat.
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Q: How long do I have to wait for my new eyeglasses?

A: The amount of time varies depending on your prescription and vision insurance. Call our office for more details.
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Q: How should I clean and take care of my eyeglasses?

A: We recommend using our eyeglass spray bottles and a microfiber cloth. Do not use chemicals such as Windex that have ammonia as they will ruin your lenses.
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Q: What if I don’t like my new eyeglasses?

A: No worries! If you aren’t happy, we aren’t happy. Stop back in within 30 days of picking up your new eyewear and let us know what what we need to do.
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Q: Do my new glasses have a warranty?

A: We provide a free 1 year warranty for most of our frames and lenses. We extend that free warranty to 2 years when you purchase a qualifying scratch resistant coating or anti-reflection coating such as Purecoat.
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Contacts

Q: Is there a separate charge for a contact lens examination?

A: There is a separate charge for your contact lens exam and the amount varies depending on the type of contact lenses your eyes need and if it is your first time trying out contacts. This charge includes 3 months of free follow-up appointments. Follow-up appointments may be necessary if we need to try out different brands and prescriptions. We will provide you with free trial contact lenses before we finalize your contact lens prescription. You may order your year supply after your prescription is finalized.
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Q: Why should I purchase my contact lenses with you?

A: Our office stocks different brands and prescriptions of contacts that you may purchase. We will order your contacts if we do not have them in stock and provide free shipping to your home for every year supply ordered. If you happen to get a defective contact lens in your box, we will provide you with a free replacement. We know life can be busy and we are happy to provide a free trial to hold you over if you have run out of contacts and forgot to schedule your yearly exam. We also offer year supply discounts on contacts and glasses. Call us or see our Promotions page for details.
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Q: How long does it take to get my contact lenses?

A: We stock a number of brands and prescriptions at our office. If we do not have your prescription then it can take between 1-5 business days for them to arrive at our office. Contact us for more details on your prescription.
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Q: How should I clean and take care of my contacts?

A: Daily disposable lenses should be thrown out after each use. 2 week lenses can be worn up to 2 weeks and should then be replaced by a fresh pair. Monthly lenses are good for 30 days and should be replaced every month. We recommend using OptiFree solution with your contact lens case to store 2 week and monthly lenses. All you need to do is gently rub your contacts with your finger and a small amount of OptiFree for about 20 seconds. Then submerge your contacts in the OptiFree solution in your contact lens case for at least 8 hours. Refill your case with fresh OptiFree solution each day. You should also replace your contact lens case every 3 months.
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Q: What contact lens solution should I use?

A: For all soft contact lenses, Friedrichs Family Eye Center recommends OptiFree or Clearcare. Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses are hard contacts and have special cleaning solution. ClearCare is the best solution for RGP lenses.
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Location

Find us on the map

Hours of Operaton

Our Regular Schedule

Martinsville Hours

Monday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Chatham Hours

Monday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Danville Hours

Monday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Rocky Mount Hours

Monday:

9:00 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed