Is it better to go to an optometrist or ophthalmologist

Differences Between an O.D. and an M.D.

Knowing who to see for the eye care you need is important when you have an eye health concern. Ophthalmologists and optometrists do overlap professionally in certain areas of service, such as eye exams and vision tests, leaving some patients confused over which eye care professional they need to see. A simple distinction to make between the two fields would be in licensure: Ophthalmologists are licensed to practice medicine; optometrists are licensed to practice optometry.

A more nuanced distinction would be on diagnoses and/or surgical treatments of the eye. Because ophthalmologists are medical doctors (MDs), they are trained to diagnose all eye diseases as well as to surgically treat patients dealing with an ocular disorder or disease. Optometrists, on the other hand, primarily focus on vision care and correction to a vision change diagnosis. Both professions will prescribe corrective lenses or eyeglasses as well as medications for certain eye diseases, and examine a patient’s eyes carefully to look for eye abnormalities.

From a credentialing perspective, an optometrist receives a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree upon completion of an undergraduate degree and four years of optometry school. An ophthalmologist, or MD, receives many more years of education and training, including an undergraduate degree, typically in a health-related field, and at least eight years of additional medical and eye residency training. Often, ophthalmologists continue their training to specialize in specific areas of medical or surgical eye care, such as glaucoma, retinal repair, cornea transplants, cataracts, and others.

While there are differences between the two eye care fields, the primary similarity between an OD and an MD is that practitioners in these two professions have the health of their patients’ eyes in their best interest. So, when should you seek out the help of an ophthalmologist?

Make an Appointment with an Ophthalmologist

It is good to be aware of eye sight issues, symptoms, and health risk factors that may indicate you should seek an ophthalmologist’s care. Additionally, if you have received a diagnosis of any of the medical conditions below, we recommend you make an appointment with an ophthalmologist as soon as possible:

Eye Issues

• Dark curtain or veil that blocks your vision
• Decreased vision, even if temporary
• Distorted vision
• Double vision
• Excess tearing
• Eyelid abnormalities
• Halos (colored circles around lights)
• Bulging of one or both eyes
• Injury to the eye
• Loss of peripheral (side) vision
• Misaligned eyes
• New floaters (black “strings” or specks in the vision)
• Flashes of light in the eye
• Pain in the eye
• Unusual red eye

Medical/Health Issues

• Family history of eye disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• HIV or AIDS
• Thyroid disease-related eye problems such as Graves’ disease

Thank you to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) for source material provided in this blog.

ECI follows AAO eye care guidelines in recommending that “everyone see an ophthalmologist for a complete medical eye exam by age 40.”

Please contact us to schedule an appointment. ECI has offices in Santa Rosa and Petaluma.

When it comes to making an appointment with an eye doctor, patients often aren’t sure whether they need to see an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. What’s the difference between these two eye care professionals and how do you know which one you need to see?

Optometrists

An optometrist is can eye care professional who provides primary vision care. They perform comprehensive eye exams and vision tests, prescribe corrective lenses, diagnose certain eye issues, and prescribe medication for certain eye diseases and conditions.

Optometrists’ training includes three or more years of college and four years of optometry school to earn a doctor of optometry (OD) degree. They are licensed to practice optometry.

While optometrists typically are not trained or licensed to perform eye surgery, they can conduct pre and postoperative care related to eye surgery. They also are required to meet continuing education requirements to stay up-to-date in eye care standards and maintain their optometry license.

Ophthalmologists

Unlike optometrists, ophthalmologists are medical doctors (MD) or osteopathic doctors (DO) specializing in eye health and vision care. These eye doctors can vary in their level of training and what they are able to diagnose and treat.

In general, an ophthalmologist must complete 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, a year of internship, and at least 3 years in a hospital-based ophthalmology residency. This type of doctor can also perform comprehensive eye exams to diagnose and treat vision problems, diagnose and treat eye disease, prescribe medication, and perform procedures such as LASIK or cataract surgery.

Opticians

While they aren’t eye doctors, opticians are another important part of your vision care. An optician is a technician who is trained to use a prescription provided by an optometrist or ophthalmologist to design and fit eyeglass lenses and frames. They do not diagnose or treat vision problems or eye diseases.

For many people whose eyes are generally healthy and require only routine eye exams, an optometrist or an ophthalmologist is qualified to handle your needs. An optometrist or ophthalmologist is a matter of personal preference.

For those that have eye health problems such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration, seeking medical care from an ophthalmologist may be recommended. Often eye diseases will be diagnosed by your optometrist first, who may refer you to or consult with an ophthalmologist to provide you the best care possible.

If you are interested in having vision correction surgery, such as LASIK or PRK, this would need to be performed by an ophthalmologist; although most eye surgeons work closely with optometrists for pre and postoperative screening and care for surgical patients.

Berkeley Eye Center offers a network of highly skilled ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians at our 20 locations across Texas. No matter what your eye care needs, we can help. Click here to schedule an appointment online today.