How's your vision? Even if you have a perfect set of eyes, it's important to have a good Optometrist.
Searching for an optometrist should be treated the same as searching for a general family doctor.
You want to be sure it's someone that can help keep your eyes healthy and warn you about potential problems early on.
But there are a number of different types of eye care professionals.
In any case, knowing the differences between the different areas of specialty can help you make more informed decisions when you are in need to vision care.
You will read more about each of the different areas of eye health in this article.
As mentioned earlier, within the field of vision and eye care there are many varieties of specialization.
For example, doctors who perform eye surgeries and medical procedures are called ophthalmologists.
If you've injured your eye or have a complicated problem, they are typically your best bet.
All ophthalmologists are usually licensed by the regional regulatory board wherever they are located and have completed a number of years in specialized training.
They carry an M.
D.
or D.
O.
degree.
Ophthalmologists usually require a minimum of four years of specialized training to obtain their credentials.
Optometrists on the other hand carry the letters O.
D.
(doctor of optometry).
These types of eye care specialists are able to diagnose, treat and care for many of the normal eye diseases and conditions.
All have been specially trained by accredited schools and many even complete specialization training in a specific field of vision care, much like ophthalmologists do.
However, optometrists are not M.
D.
s or medical doctors, even though they are trained to find various diseases and malformations, including things like cataracts or glaucoma.
They do not, however, perform any surgical procedures on the eyes.
If you're farsighted, nearsighted or have astigmatism, however, optometrists can help tread these types of conditions.
The most common form of treatment is through the prescription of corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses.
They may also recommend certain medications that can help with any general condition you may suffer from, including chronic dry eye and the like.
Opticians, on the other hand, are professionals who usually work together with optometrists or ophthalmologists to help provide a well-rounded set of vision care solutions.
Opticians can sometimes help out with eye exams and assist with eye prescriptions.
However, unlike optometrists, opticians only need to study optometry at a specialized institution for two years.
They are the specialists who can help interpret eye prescriptions and decide which corrective lenses are best suited for you.
Regardless of the differences in speciality each of these fields carries, all must work together with patients to provide a comprehensive set of eye care and vision health solutions.
Although they may seem similar, they each perform a specific and important function that helps keep they eyes of many people healthy.
When you're searching for someone to help you with your eye problems, be sure to take into account the differences in each area.