Ophthalmologist or Optometrist?
An optometrist is not a medical doctor. To gain certification as an optometrist requires a degree in optometry school, after four years of college. The certification allows an optometrist to provide specific services, including eye exams, vision tests, prescribing corrective lenses, and the ability to detect some eye abnormalities. While these are valuable and needed services, an ophthalmologist offers a far wider range of skills in diagnosis and treatment.
Why an Ophthalmologist?
To become a board-certified ophthalmologist requires achieving a medical degree, followed by a minimum of three more years as a resident in ophthalmology. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in vision care and eye surgery, and can perform many more treatments than an optometrist, including:
- Thorough eye exams
- Diagnosis for eye conditions and diseases
- Treat eye diseases
- Perform eye surgery
- Prescribe eye medications
- Laser vision correction
- Cataract surgery
- Treat Diabetic retinopathy
- Glaucoma treatment
- Treat macular degeneration
- Treat dry eye
Should I See an Ophthalmologist?
If you have concerns about your vision, it is important that you see an ophthalmologist. The extensive knowledge and skills of an ophthalmologist can be an important part of keeping your eyes healthy and your vision as sharp as possible throughout your life. The early detection and treatment for a developing eye condition or disease may be critical to your long-term eye health.
Your Vision: Protecting Your Eyes for the Long Term Makes Sense.
At Lotus Vision, we watch over our patients, performing yearly or more frequent eye exams to monitor the progress of treatment, or to identify any developing conditions or diseases that may require treatment. We value our vision as one of the most important of all senses. Our range of skills and knowledge can help you protect your eyes, treat conditions, perform surgery for vision or astigmatism correction, restore clear vision if you have developed cataracts, and monitor your eye pressure.
Your Vision and Your Life.
Clear, sharp vision may be taken for granted – until something happens. At Lotus Vision, we are committed to helping people in the Atlanta area to care for their eyes, keep them healthy, and treat any problem that arises, including laser vision correction. As a quality of life issue, we take our duty to our patients very seriously; we provide the most advanced technology, the latest new developments in treatment, and we genuinely care about our patients. We invite you to find out more about Lotus Vision and visit with us at our state-of-the-art Alpharetta eye clinic.
Ophthalmologist or Optometrist FAQs
When should I see an optometrist versus an ophthalmologist?
For routine eye exams, vision tests, and prescriptions for glasses or contact lenses, visiting an optometrist is appropriate. For more serious chronic conditions, and if you experience symptoms such as sudden vision loss, eye pain, flashes of light, or have conditions like diabetes that can affect eye health, it's advisable to consult an ophthalmologist.
Are opticians the same as optometrists and ophthalmologists?
No, opticians are not eye doctors. They are technicians trained to design, verify, and fit eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses, and other vision correction devices based on prescriptions from optometrists or ophthalmologists.
What types of surgeries do ophthalmologists perform?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors trained to perform a wide range of eye surgeries, including cataract removal, glaucoma procedures, LASIK, retinal repairs, and corneal transplants. Their extensive medical and surgical training enables them to address complex eye conditions surgically.
What symptoms should prompt an immediate visit to an ophthalmologist?
You should see an ophthalmologist immediately if you experience sudden vision loss, flashes of light, floaters, double vision, eye pain, or significant redness/swelling. These could indicate serious conditions like retinal detachment, glaucoma, or infections.
