Eye Doctor Near Me: Do I Need An Optometrist Or An Ophthalmologist?

So you’ve opened the internet maps and you’re looking for an eye doctor near you. You see a lot of places offering vision services and taking care of your sight. Some of them are written as optometrists and others are named ophthalmologists.

If you find this a little confusing, read this article and find out about the difference between the two of these.

What is an optometrist?

An optometrist is a person who studied human vision in general. After graduating they got a diploma and the opportunity to perform vision examinations. They are licensed to open their practices or find a job in clinics where they will perform sight exams on people who need it.

They can perform the tests, write prescriptions and treat for minor sight problems. However, if there’s a more serious problem, they are not skilled enough to perform more serious procedures like surgeries. That’s the time when they’ll send you to an ophthalmologist.

What is an ophthalmologist?

This person passed all the tests as the optometrist but also stayed a couple of years more in school studying about eye surgery and more. They are licensed to do everything the first ones do and on top of this, they can perform more serious and complex procedures.

Generally, no one goes to an ophthalmologist for every small problem that occurs. The first place you need to see is the optician. Then, if needed, they’ll take you to a higher level, and then maybe to the highest level.

How to know which one do you need?

Before searching for an eye doctor near me, you must know what you truly need. For example, there’s no need for going to a surgeon’s office for a blurry vision which may be caused by many different reasons.

In this particular case, you should see an optometrist. They will tell you if there’s a more serious problem or it can be solved with something simpler. But why not going directly to the place where you know all problems can be solved.

The main reason is that ophthalmologists are doctors that are very busy and can’t deal with every minor problem of every patient they encounter. If they do this all the time, they won’t be able to dedicate their specialty to patients who really need the help.

Another reason is money. The more skilled the doctor is, the more money they’ll charge. So, when you’re searching for a doctor near you, make sure you’re looking for the right person for the problem you have.

What problems should be taken to the optometrist?

If you generally have a good vision there’s almost never a reason for going to any other place then here. When you experience some kind of rush, dry eyes, infections, redness, blurriness, and similar problems, it means you need to go and see this person.

Most of the problems with your vision should be taken to this doctor as they are the most skilled for solving this. They are also treating people with similar conditions every day. This is a reason enough to understand why there are different types and levels of eye professionals.

When to go to an ophthalmologist?

If you’re suffering from serious vision problems, like chronic diseases, sight impairment, and you have trouble seeing, then it’s probably better if you see this doctor.

The reason for this is that you already have a set diagnose and there’s no room for more exams regarding this. Problems at this point require a more serious approach and highly skilled doctors.

Conclusion

If you want to save time, energy, and money, you should learn the difference between the two types of eye doctors. Of course, most of us have insurance that covers the bills for health treatment, but it’s not the same if you visit an expensive place rather than a more affordable one.It’s also important to know the difference between the problems that might encounter. If you’re dealing with vision problem often, you probably know all about contact lenses, glasses, and similar, but are you aware of the issues that might occur later in life? Read more about these things on the following link: https://nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/problems