Professional Eye Care
Bringing your world into focus.
When you need to visit an eye-care professional, it is important to make sure that you see the person who is most qualified to take care of any concerns or problems regarding your eyes. The three main types of eye-care professionals are: ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians.
Ophthalmologists are physicians, either a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathy (DO), who specializes in medical and surgical care of eye diseases. Reasons to Visit: to treat a wide range of eye problems. They conduct routine exams, treat chronic diseases, perform eye surgery and care for patients with eye trauma.
Optometrists are eye-care providers who receive an education primarily about the eyes without the comprehensive education regarding the rest of the body; specializing in eye care, refraction, and optical correction of vision. Reason to Visit: to treat a wide range of eye problems. They typically refer cases of sever eye disease or eye problems requiring surgery to ophthamologists.
Opticians fill prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Most opticians train on the job as an apprentice for as long as two years with training programs available. Reasons to Visit: Opticians make and sell prescription and non-prescription glasses and contact lenses. They do NOT perform eye examinations, treatments or write prescriptions.
1
Visual Acuity Test
This is performed using eye charts with letters, numbers, or symbols. You will be asked to read progressively smaller rows of letters or numbers until they become indistinguishable. Even if you have to guess, try to make out the smallest letters possible without squinting.
2
Refraction
An objective refraction may be performed with a computer (auto refraction) or a hand-held instrument called a retinoscope giving an estimate of your refractive error (visual error). Following, subjective refraction refines your prescription based on your subjective responses to a variety of lenses resulting in a determination of your spectacle correction.
