As experts in our field, we spend years learning the complex language of optometry, becoming fluent in anatomy, physics, and pathology. This knowledge is essential, but it can sometimes become a curse.

The “curse of knowledge” is a real phenomenon where we forget what it’s like not to know these things, making it difficult to put ourselves in our patients’ shoes. We step into the testing room to talk to our patients, and almost without thinking, we can accidentally slip into that technical language, leaving them behind.

This guide is about how we learn to intentionally talk to patients without jargon, build stronger and more trusting connections, and ensure our vital clinical advice is truly understood and acted upon. It’s a skill that elevates our practice from being technically proficient to being truly patient-centred, which is the cornerstone of excellent healthcare.

This isn’t just about being friendly; it’s about clinical effectiveness, as a patient who understands is a patient who is more likely to be compliant and achieve better outcomes.

Why We Use Jargon (And Why It Fails)

So, why do we default to technical terms? It’s how we are trained. We spend our university years immersed in a specific vocabulary, talking to our colleagues in a fast and precise “optometry speak” that we all understand. It’s the language of textbooks, research papers, and lectures. We sometimes think it makes us sound more professional or intelligent, but for our patients, it’s like listening to a foreign language they were never taught.

Using jargon creates an immediate barrier, causing confusion and a great deal of anxiety. It can make a patient feel disempowered or even unintelligent, stopping them from asking the very questions they need answers to. When a patient doesn’t understand their condition or the advice given, they are far less likely to follow it.

The word “astigmatism,” for example, makes me cringe whenever I hear it used without immediate context. Every time, I see the patient’s face change as they worry they have a terrible disease. They mishear it as something sinister, they fear they might be going blind, or they simply shut down because they don’t understand. My ability to talk to patients without jargon is key here, as it turns their fear into understanding and relief. This is why mastering jargon-free communication is a non-negotiable clinical skill.

The Art of the Analogy: Your Best Tool

The most powerful tool in your communication kit is the analogy. A simple, relatable comparison can build an instant bridge between a complex medical concept and a patient’s everyday world, making the abstract feel concrete and understandable.

It works because it hooks new, unfamiliar information onto an existing mental framework the patient already possesses. You need to develop your own library of analogies over time, finding what resonates with you and your patients.

One of my go-to examples is for the optic nerve, which I describe as the “USB cable” that connects the eyes (the camera) to the brain (the computer). This simple image works wonders, allowing me to explain a swollen nerve (papilloedema) as “the cable being pushed in too hard,” or glaucomatous damage as a “loss of some of the wiring.”

Because most people understand these basic concepts, it has become an effective way to talk to patients without jargon by finding a shared language. It’s about taking the complex and making it accessible, which is a fundamental sign of respect for your patient.

Simple Swaps: A Jargon-Free Phrasebook

Learning how to talk to patients without jargon is a skill that takes conscious practice. A great way to start is by having simple swaps ready in your mind, so you can consciously and consistently replace a technical term with a plain English alternative. This isn’t just about memorising a list; it’s about retraining your brain to think from the patient’s perspective first. Over time, this becomes second nature.

Cornea: “The clear front window of your eye.”

Retina: “The light-sensitive film at the back of the eye, like in a camera.” (Note, if this is too antiquated then it may be good to substitute to a “light sensitive chip at the back of the digital camera).

Myopia: “Being short-sighted, so things far away are blurry.”

Hyperopia: “Being long-sighted, which can cause strain up close.”

Presbyopia: “The natural focusing change that happens to us all after 40.”

Slit Lamp: “It’s like a microscope that is turned towards you, so I can get a good, magnified view of your eye and its structures”/

Binocular Vision: “How well your two eyes work together as a team.”

Having these ready makes communication much easier and more effective. You can still use the technical term if you wish, as it can sound professional, but it’s crucial that you explain it immediately. For example: “I’m looking at your retina, which is the light-sensitive film at the back of your eye.” This approach demonstrates your expertise while also respecting your patient’s need for clarity, which is the best way to talk to patients without jargon.

Putting It Into Practice: Explaining Cataracts

Let’s use the real-world example of a patient who is worried about cataracts because they have heard the term “growing” and become scared.

I once had a patient who thought a cataract would continue to “grow” until her eye popped. This is a clear case where you must be able to talk to patients without jargon to alleviate their genuine fear and correct their misunderstanding.

Whilst we refer to them “growing” as progressing, they aren’t growing (or expanding) in a traditional sense. My explanation would sound something like this:

“Inside your eye, you have a small, clear lens that works just like the lens in a camera, helping to focus light so you can see clearly.

As we get older, it’s very normal for this lens to start to get a bit cloudy, and this clouding is what we call a cataract. The term ‘growing’ isn’t quite right; it’s more helpful to think of it like a clean window that is slowly getting a bit misty over time. My job today is to check how misty that lens is and how much it is affecting your vision.

I want to reassure you, it is not something that will expand and cause your eye any harm like that. It is simply a change in the clarity of that little lens.

When the time is right, and if the mistiness starts to bother your vision for things like driving or reading, we can talk about a very common and straightforward operation to replace this misty lens with a new clear one.”

This simple, calm explanation removed her fear because she understood the process and trusted my advice. That is the power of learning how to talk to patients without jargon.

My Golden Rule: Practice, Practice, Practice

So, what is my one golden rule for mastering how to talk to patients without jargon? It all comes down to dedicated practice. This isn’t a skill you learn once; it’s one you refine throughout your entire career.

First, you need to learn and deeply understand the conditions you see every day, inside and out, so you can explain them from multiple angles. Then, you should actively create and collect analogies for everything by asking supervisors, lecturers, and colleagues what works for them.

Finally, and this is the most important part, you must test them out. Explain an eye condition to your non-optical friends and family using your new lay terms. If they understand it, your patients probably will too. If they look confused, then it’s back to the drawing board to refine your explanation. You must practice switching between the language of optometry and the language of your patient until it becomes second nature.

It’s not about “dumbing it down”; it is about respecting your patient enough to share your knowledge clearly. That is how you become the clinician they trust.

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