Eyesight is very important as 80% of our human perception comes from our sense of sight. It is essential to protect our eyes and reduce our chances of blindness, vision impairment, and even developing eye diseases like cataracts and glaucoma. Everybody should prioritize their health, and it’s very effective to find eye care specialists if they have a good eye care web design as seen here imatrix.com/chiropractic-websites/.
Sometimes, we can have certain conditions that require medical attention with an eye care specialist. But among the choices of seeing an ophthalmologist, optometrist, optician – it can get confusing which one can provide the best medical guidance for our situation. There are several types of eye doctors and eye specialists, but what exactly do they do?
Ophthalmologists are eye doctors that specialize in the surgical and medical care of the entire visual system, including the eyes. They can also aid in the prevention of eye disease and injury. Ophthalmologists are licensed doctors of medicine (M.D.) or eye doctors can be doctors of osteopathy (D.O.).
Osteopaths concentrate on the loss of structure and function in various parts of the body, including the eyes. Eye doctors who are osteopaths will give treatment for the visual system through medicine, surgery, diet, among other therapies, to treat the underlying eye condition.
Meanwhile, ophthalmologists are eye doctors who went to medical school, internship and underwent specialized medical training in eye care. This means they are well-trained to be in this field. Furthermore, they must be licensed not just as a doctor but even by a national regulatory board. Ophthalmologists are qualified to deliver total eye care including examinations, medical and surgical care, diagnosing and treating diseases, and managing visual complications caused by other conditions such as diabetes or even accidents.
Optometrists are eye doctors of optometry, who are likewise trained to examine, diagnose, and treat diseases related to the eyes and visual system. They have completed professional education at an accredited college of optometry, not medical school, and undertaken an optional residency to specialize in a certain area.
Similar to ophthalmologists, optometrists are trained to examine the eyes and detect diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts. However, they are not licensed to perform eye surgeries and manage all eye disorders and diseases. The conditions that fall within their specialty are nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. So, optometrists can determine vision problems and prescribe eyeglasses, contact lenses, low vision aids, medication, and even vision therapy as needed.
Lastly, opticians are eye health care professionals who work with ophthalmologists and optometrists to provide services related to the diagnosis and treatment of vision problems and diseases. Their main role is assisting to provide patient care during medical procedures, exams, and even surgeries. Opticians completed at least two years of a technical degree which trained them to perform many tasks that are essential for eye treatments. These tasks include interpreting eye prescriptions, determining eye lenses that are best suited for the patient, ordering eye-related products, and most importantly they are able to replace, adjust, repair, and reproduce eyeglasses, frames, and contact lenses for just about anyone.
Know that all these experts work collectively to ensure good eye health and vision for every patient. Whichever eye specialist you choose, always look at their qualifications, experience, and services offered. Receiving great care is possible if you choose the best specialist for your condition.
