What to Expect When Visiting Your Eye Doctor

Regular checkups at the eye doctor are important for identifying problems even before you experience symptoms. Not only do such checkups detect eye problems, exams can also detect indications of other health issues; such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis. Children should be checked regularly from birth to school age in the event of needing corrective lenses. Young adults need occasional examinations, and then annual eye exams by the time they reach middle age and up.

On your first visit, the eye doctor collects information about your general health, a list of medications you take, and any family history of eye disease. Then, he or she uses several procedures to look at the physical health of your eyes, and to check how well they are functioning. Other procedures include:

• Vision tests where you read from eye charts with rows of random letters in various sizes, and check your perception of color.
• Eye dilation where the doctor uses a lighted instrument to look closely at the inside of your eyes; you usually are given eye drops to help open your pupils wide.
• Tonometry tests for glaucoma by administering pressure in your eye with a small puff of air.

The tests usually take about an hour. If you are given eye drops to dilate your pupils, your eyes will be extremely sensitive to light for a few hours and you’ll be given special glasses to wear. Check about the drops when you make the appointment as you might want to have someone else drive you if you are travelling by car.

While you are waiting, the eye doctor will be able to analyze the results of the tests and discuss any necessary next steps which might include:

• Prescription for glasses or contact lenses
• Referral to a specialist for follow-up on issues such as macular degeneration
• Prescription for medication such as drops for dry eyes
• Recommendations for follow-up with family doctor on other health issues
• Clean report on eye health with the recommendation for another check up in a year or two

Eyesight changes over the years as we age, so you’ll want to keep ahead of any problems by maintaining regular eye exams. New techniques, technologies, and tools to diagnose, prevent, and treat vision problems are being developed every year. If you value your eyesight, make sure to visit your eye doctor regularly.

Optometrist vs. Ophthalmologist: What's the Difference?

For us in the Ft. Worth/Dallas area, there are plenty of options when choosing an eye doctor. While most patients tend to choose the closest or the first option that pops into a web search, there are many more considerations that individuals should consider when choosing an eye doctor. When looking for treatments for cataracts or LASIK surgeons Ft. Worth has many options. One of the first tasks is understanding the two main types of eye doctors. 

Optometrist

An O.D. or optometrist (Doctor of Optometry) completes a pre-professional undergraduate study which is followed by earning a degree in a four-year college of optometry. While optometric schools tend to focus less on the other areas of the body and systemic disease processes, students instead concentrate mainly on the eyes and eye health.

It is relatively common for many optometrists to do a postgraduate residency in a specialty area of optometry such as sports vision, vision therapy, primary eye care or family eye care to name a few. They will end being licensed in states to provide eye care services, diagnosis of potential eye diseases and able to provide eye examinations. While some optometrists may be included in post/pre operative care for eye surgeries performed by ophthalmologists, they are generally not licensed nor trained to perform eye surgery on patients. 

Ophthalmologist

In order to qualify as an ophthalmologist, one must have a M.D. or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) after undergraduate studies. After that, the prospective ophthalmologist will typically spend the next three years in a residency program at a hospital or a university to specialize in ophthalmology. During this residency, the prospective ophthalmologist will receive specialized training in as many aspects of eye care as possible. Diagnosis, prevention, surgical and medical treatment of specific eye diseases and conditions will be covered during this individual's residency.

In addition to their residency, ophthalmologists expect to have training to provide a broad area of eye care from eye surgery to prescriptions. Some also provide research about eye conditions and diseases. Some will also obtain additional fellowship training for specific areas (e.g. glaucoma, pathology, cornea, refractive surgery, pediatrics, etc.)

While there are no federal laws or regulations that restrict ophthalmology practice or training, individuals states have their own set of specific laws regarding ophthalmology practices, similar to lawyers with a bar exam. National organizations and state societies also common in the ophthalmology circles. 

Because ophthalmologists have more extensive training in eye functions, different diseases and how eye exams can indicate symptoms of other diseases in the body. In addition, they can recognize how certain medications prescribed by other types of physicians can cause side effects in the eyes. It is possible to have both a quality optometrist who can refer you to a licensed and trusted ophthalmologist for more serious issues.

Texas and the Southwest have many options when searching for an eye doctor. Search for a Ft. Worth vision specialist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in our directory or contact us for our professional recommendations. Knowing the major differences in optometrists and ophthalmologist can go a long way in choosing the right eye doctor for you!