If you are having issues with your eyesight or simply want to make sure that your eyes are as healthy as possible, you may feel lost as to what type of medical professional is the most appropriate for what ails you. You may have no clear idea as to whether an optometrist or an ophthalmologist is whom you need to see. Read on to find the right Downers Grove eye care professionals at your service.
What Is an Optometrist?
An optometrist is someone who has a doctor of optometry degree and is trained to perform complete eye exams. They can diagnose some conditions but they focus more on prescription glasses and contact lenses, and they are the people you need to go to should you have any questions like “What is Binocular Vision Dysfunction?”. These are the typical doctors people associate with when thinking of obtaining eye care. You may find them either in their own private practice or at a store in the mall where they sell eyewear.
What Do They Do?
They provide many different eye services; among the most common ones you may find:
- They test your vision
- They issue prescriptions for contact lenses and glasses
- They can carry out minor procedures like removing a foreign body from your eye
- They can help identify other health conditions such as diabetes
- They can perform a low vision exam in cases where the patient’s vision loss cannot be corrected with contact lenses, glasses, or surgery
To become an optometrist, they must complete an Optometry Doctor degree which takes four years after a bachelor’s degree. They may study further if they are interested in pursuing a specialization, such as pediatric optometry.
What Is an Ophthalmologist?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors trained to diagnose and treat eye diseases. They can also prescribe contact lenses and eyeglasses, and perform eye surgery akin to lens replacement. They can treat a variety of disorders of the eye that may include those that may lead to partial or complete loss of eyesight.
To be licensed to practice medicine and surgery, they must complete a four-year degree after their bachelor’s degree. After that, they must complete a mandatory one-year internship, three years in a clinical surgery residency, and an added one or two years of fellowship.
What Do They Do?
They are trained to treat a wide variety of eye diseases and conditions which may include:
- Glaucoma, which involves increased pressure in the eye that can lead to blindness
- Detached retina, which happens when the retina pulls away from blood vessels
- Eye cancer
- Eye occlusion or eye stroke
- Fractures of the eye socket
- Problems with the cornea such as keratoconus, corneal transplants, and others
They have the authority to prescribe medications to their patients and perform eye surgeries and many are now focusing on new evolving treatment options such as genetics and molecular advances. An ophthalmologist can help you when you need medical and surgical treatments for your eyes, rehabilitation after eye surgery, assessments and treatments for an eye injury, treatment of certain inherited diseases, and more actions focused on helping you preserve your vision.
