Types of Eye Doctors
Eye care professionals have a variety of roles to play in keeping your eyes healthy. To understand more about the different types of eye doctors, you should first learn about their training and qualifications.
To become an ophthalmologist, one needs to complete a bachelor’s degree and four years of medical school. Then, they need to undergo a three-year residency program or a preliminary/transitional year of internship. Click Here to learn more.
Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry (OD), are health care professionals who specialize in eye exams and eye health. They are the primary providers for most patients’ eyes and vision.
To become an optometrist, you need to complete a bachelor’s degree and then four years of Optometry school. You also have to pass rigorous testing in order to get an OD. This includes tests to check your vision and to assess how well your eyes work together. They can test your depth perception, your ability to focus and coordinate your eyes, and the clarity of your vision. They can also measure the pressure inside your eyes (intraocular pressure), which is a risk factor for glaucoma.
In addition to these tests, optometrists are also trained to identify many common eye diseases. They can recommend treatments and prescribe medications, including antibiotics for eye infections. They can also perform refraction, which is an exam to determine the strength of your prescription. During this process, they cover and uncover your eyes to observe how the light changes in your pupils. They can also examine the white of your eyes and the position of your eyelids.
Although optometrists are skilled at diagnosing and treating most eye problems, they may refer you to an ophthalmologist for some conditions. It’s similar to how a family physician will refer you to a specialist for certain illnesses.
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors, either MDs or DOs, who have gone to medical school and studied the complexities of human anatomy, physiology, and disease. They have the training and knowledge to diagnose any issue that can affect your eyes and vision, including eye surgery. They can also treat most eye diseases, including cataracts and glaucoma.
What is an Ophthalmologist?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye health and vision care. They complete medical school and get more intensive pathology training during residency, allowing them to diagnose and treat a wide range of eye diseases and conditions. Many ophthalmologists also choose to subspecialize by doing an additional year of training in one specific area such as glaucoma, retina, cornea or plastic surgery.
Unlike optometrists, ophthalmologists can perform a variety of medical procedures to help manage eye disease and eye injuries, such as corneal transplantation and cataract surgery. They are also licensed to perform a number of minor in-office surgical procedures, including foreign body removal. Ophthalmologists may prescribe medications to treat a number of different eye conditions, as well.
When you visit an ophthalmologist, he or she will likely start by asking you about your general health and family history. They will then conduct a series of tests to check the status of your eyes and vision. You might be asked to read from a chart called a Snellen chart that contains lines of progressively smaller letters to determine your visual acuity. Your ophthalmologist will also examine your peripheral vision and test your color blindness. They might also give you eye drops to dilate your pupils and then use a special magnifying device, called a slit lamp, to check the front of your eyes, including the cornea, conjunctiva, iris and sclera.
In addition to diagnosing and treating eye disease, ophthalmologists can also recommend eyeglasses or contact lenses. They can also prescribe a number of medications, including anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids to treat eye infections and to reduce the risk of complications from laser eye surgery.
Most people should make regular visits to an ophthalmologist part of their overall health routine. This allows them to catch eye problems and vision changes in their earliest stages, when they are often easy to treat. For example, many people with diabetes can prevent permanent damage to their eyes by getting a yearly medical exam to detect and manage high blood sugar levels. In the same way, people who have suffered an eye injury should see an ophthalmologist to ensure that they do not suffer any lasting physical or psychological damage.
What is an Optician?
While it may seem like there are many different eye care professionals out there, they all have a distinct role in your overall ocular health. An optician dispenses eyeglasses and contact lenses, an optometrist is a primary eye care doctor, and an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who provides surgical treatments for serious eye diseases and advanced ocular problems.
Depending on your needs, you will most likely see one of these eye care professionals. Each of these professionals have a slightly different career path and area of expertise. Opticians are certified through the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) to fill a prescription from a doctor and provide services like dispensing lenses for vision correction, fitting patients for contact lenses and performing various tests to determine your eye health.
The most common way to get an eye exam is to visit your local optometrist. During a routine eye exam, your optometrist will shine a light in your eyes and blow air in them to check for things such as refraction (whether you need glasses or not), visual field (how far you can see at a certain distance) and glaucoma screening (which involves covering one eye and watching lights turn on and off).
An optometrist will also perform a test called perimetry to determine how much peripheral vision you have. They will also prescribe corrective eyewear if you need it and prescribe therapeutic drugs to help treat some conditions, such as glaucoma. Your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist if they feel your eye problem falls outside of their area of expertise.
To become an optician, you need to complete a certification program through a community college or technical training institute that can take up to two years. You will study topics such as optical theory, eye physiology and lens technology to become qualified to make and dispense eyeglasses and contacts. This is a hands-on position that requires attention to detail and a good working knowledge of various types of lenses. Generally, goal-oriented people and extroverted personalities are well suited to this type of work.
How do I find an Eye Doctor?
The eyes are windows to the whole body, and as such, deserve a comprehensive eye exam by a medical professional. The best way to ensure you have the safest and most accurate vision possible is by visiting your local optometrist or ophthalmologist for regular eye exams. These professionals can help you detect any changes in your eyesight and treat any eye diseases or health conditions that may be present. To find a doctor, you can use the American Optometric Association’s Find a Doctor of Optometry tool or the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Find an Ophthalmologist tool.
In addition to providing routine eye care, optometrists can diagnose and treat eye disorders such as dry eye and glaucoma. They can also prescribe contact lenses and eyeglasses, and can even perform minor surgical procedures. To become an optometrist, you must earn a bachelor’s degree from a college or university and complete four years of schooling in the field of optometry.
Ophthalmologists are physicians (MD) or osteopathic doctors (DO) who specialize in the treatment of the eye and visual system. They must complete at least four years of medical school, one year of internship, and three or more years of residency training to be able to perform medical and surgical eye exams and to prescribe medications.
To ensure you visit a quality and reputable eye doctor, reach out to friends, family members and coworkers for recommendations. It’s also a good idea to research the doctors you are considering ahead of time. Check out their websites, read reviews and learn about the types of services they offer. As you search for an eye doctor, make sure that the practice is convenient to your home or work and has office hours that fit with your schedule. Also, don’t fall for online eye exams, which are not valid and can miss signs of serious non-eye related health issues. Rather, consult with a top NYC Optometrist or Ophthalmologist to get the most accurate information and diagnosis possible.