October is Health Literacy Month, so it’s a great time to promote the importance of comprehensive eye care in a way that resonates with patients of all health literacy levels.

Here, O.D.s provide tips on how to accomplish this:

GAUGE PATIENTS’ KNOWLEDGE

To increase ocular health literacy among patents, the first step is to find out what they already do and don’t know.

“I simply ask them what they know,” says Roya Attar, O.D., M.B.A., who practices at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Mallory McLaughlin, O.D., assistant professor of Optometry at the Illinois College of Optometry, agrees: “Asking the patient to explain in their own words helps me identify and address some of the gaps in their understanding.”

MEET PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE

Providers should adapt their own communication style to increase patients’ understanding of their ocular health, notes Dr. McLaughlin.

“I match my language to the patient,” she says. “If they aren’t using clinical terms, I’m not either.”

For example, she may refer to blood glucose level as “sugars.”

USE VISUAL AIDS

Visual tools are especially helpful when explaining conditions and treatments to patients, notes Dr. Attar.

“I’ve referred to my eye model more times than I can count,” she says. “The model helps take away a lot of anxiety about the condition and helps the patient to understand the purpose of a particular treatment.”

Dr. McLaughlin says she shows patients their test results, while explaining them.

“It helps them to actually ‘see’ the condition,” she says.

She says some optometrists in her practice will show patients a condition-specific video, so that they can assure each patient receives the same education at the outset of their diagnosis. OM