How to Choose an Eye Doctor: Everything You Need to Know

The CDC reports that 93 million American adults are at risk for vision loss. Yet only half of those adults have visited an eye doctor in the past year.

Have you noticed any changes in your vision? Perhaps you can’t see quite as far as you used to. Maybe you have to hold your book farther away to read comfortably. It may be time to choose an eye doctor and make an appointment.

But how do you know which eye doctor to choose? Your Google search has turned up many options for improving eye health.

Keep reading to learn about the different types of eye doctors and how to have the best eye doctor experience.

Types of Vision Issues

There are a wide variety of eye issues you may be experiencing. The most common problems are:

• Nearsightedness (or difficulty seeing distance)
• Farsightedness (or difficulty seeing up close)
• Blurred vision
• Macular degeneration (reduced central vision)
• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Presbyopia (or difficulty reading text)

Optometrists and ophthalmologists are the two main types of eye doctors. Take note of what you’re experiencing. Your symptoms will guide you to the right type of doctor.

What Is an Optometrist?

An optometrist specializes in diagnosing and treating vision problems and some eye conditions.

If you are having trouble seeing far away or up close, you may be nearsighted or farsighted. An optometrist can prescribe eyeglasses or contacts to correct this issue.

If your vision is blurry, an optometrist may diagnose you with dry eye and offer treatment. Another cause of blurred vision is presbyopia, which can be aided with reading glasses.

An optometrist may also prescribe vision therapy or low vision aids. They can also provide care before and after eye surgery. Some optometrists perform laser surgery.

If it’s your child in need of eye care, consider visiting a practice that caters to children, such as btowneyecare.com.

If you have signs of eye disease or have had an eye injury, your optometrist may refer you to an opthalmologist.

What Is an Ophthalmologist?

An ophthalmologist is a licensed MD (medical doctor) or OD (doctor of osteopathic medicine). They can provide the same services as an optometrist. They are also qualified to go further to treat eye disease and injury.

If your visual issues require treatment beyond prescription lenses, you’ll want to visit an ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologists can perform cataract surgery and fix retinal detachments. They can also perform lens implants and LASIK surgery.

How to Choose an Eye Doctor That’s Right for You

There are several things you can do to make sure you have the best vision care experience.

First, check with your insurance to see what services they cover. Once you’ve done that, you can research the eye doctors available. Ask your friends and family for recommendations or check online patient reviews. It’s not a bad idea to compare doctor costs to make sure you get the best value.

Choose an eye doctor that will be able to help best with the vision issues you have going on. Don’t delay. You don’t want your vision to get worse. You want to see everything going on around you as best you can.

Be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more tips on your health.