Is Your Eye Doctor Really a Doctor?
There are many types of eye care professionals, and most people assume that they are all about the same. Only ophthalmologists are actually medical doctors, trained and licensed to provide you with the full range of vision care, including eye surgery.
Optician
An optician can fit you for eyeglasses and sometimes contact lenses. They do not prescribe your corrective lenses, but help you choose frames and make sure the lenses fit properly in the frames. Some opticians actually mill the lenses, and some evaluate and measure your eyes to fit contact lenses.
Optometrist
Optometrists have a doctorate degree in optometry, but they are not medical doctors. They specialize solely in vision and the eyes, but are not trained to understand whole body health to the extent that ophthalmologists are. Optometrists cannot perform surgery. Optometrists and ophthalmologists sometimes work together in the same practice.
Ophthalmologist
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye care. They go to medical school, just like other doctors, and have an understanding of all of the body's systems and how they relate to eye health. Of the three types of eye care professionals, they are the only ones who can perform surgery, and are qualified to assess overall health.
Your eyes work in conjunction with the rest of your body and are affected by health issues throughout your body. Many vision and eye problems are secondary to other health problems, such as diabetes. Ophthalmologists are equipped to address eye problems as part of the whole, understand the underlying cause, and manage eye care from that perspective.
Choosing an eye care professional
You should start out by seeing an ophthalmologist, even if you are not experiencing vision problems. Many conditions of the eye can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness and have no early warning signs. Early detection is the key to preserving sight.
An ophthalmologist will be able to thoroughly asses your vision and eye health, and can determine if your eyes are affected by other underlying health problems. Only an ophthalmologist can perform surgery and effectively treat eye problems which are secondary to other health conditions.
If your ophthalmologist determines that you do not have any serious problems with your eyes, do not need any kind of eye-related surgery, and that your vision is not affected by illness elsewhere in the body, he or she may recommend that you see and optometrist for your regular check-ups.
Ophthalmologists and optometrists can both prescribe corrective lenses and medications for the eyes. Opticians provide a very valuable service, but they do not perform eye exams, diagnose conditions of the eye, or prescribe corrective lenses or medications.
Related Tags: lasik surgeon, lasik doctor, lasik reference, ophthalmology information, ophthalmology reference, lasik resource, lasik doctor directory, lasik information, ophthalmologist directory, ophthalmology directory, lasik surgeon directory
If you have not had a thorough eye exam recently, if you are experiencing vision problems, or if you are considering surgery to correct your vision, contact an ophthalmologist today.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- The Difference Between Group and Individual Dental Plans
Dental insurance is a benefit typically provided by employers to help offset some of the high cost - Massage - One Essential Part of a Healthly Life Routine
Have you ever considered using the natural powers of massage for easing fatigue, stress and chronic - Cellulite Creams Made with Caffeine
You want to get rid of cellulite and you want to get rid of cellulite ... now. Therefore, you want - The Miracle Anti-oxidant - Pycnogenol
Medical research studies have demonstrated that free radical damage is not only linked to many dead - Keeping Fit at Forty and Above
Research has proven that there is a direct correlation between physical activity and longevity. How - The Heart Test You Absolutely Need to Have
Today heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Many - Nutritional Supplements That Protect the Brain
The Ginkgo tree is one of the world's oldest surviving trees. It can live for more than a thousand - A Risk Factor For Heart Attack in Older People
People worry about their cholesterol and most of us have this checked as part of an annual physical - Health, Raw Food Master Cleanse Detox Symptoms
Master Cleanse: Master Cleanse Detox Diet Patch Colon Master Cleanse Diet Health Plan Ther - Muscle Pains Lead to Sleeplessness
A common cause of sleeping disorder is excessive pain in muscles, as reported by a large number of
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl
