Types of Eye Doctors and Conditions They Treat

If you experience vision changes, eye discomfort, or injury, visit an eye doctor for an examination and potential treatment options. Different eye specialists provide varied services, from routine exams and prescriptions to surgical treatments for complex conditions. Here are some types of eye doctors and conditions they treat:

Optometrists

Optometrists perform eye exams, diagnose certain conditions, and prescribe corrective lenses like glasses and contacts. They also prescribe medications for certain eye diseases to help alleviate symptoms. This eye doctor can treat minor issues, such as dry eye syndrome caused by insufficient or poor-quality tears. An optometrist can also diagnose and treat eye infections, including pink eye and blepharitis.

An optometrist often prescribes lenses for refractive errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia, to help improve vision. During the early stages of glaucoma, an optometrist monitors and manages this condition with medication to prevent vision loss. If glaucoma progresses and requires surgery, an optometrist may refer you to an ophthalmologist.

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists focus on eye health and vision care, diagnosing, treating, and performing surgeries for severe cases. They treat cataracts by removing the cloudy lens that blurs and impairs vision through surgery. After removing an eye’s natural lens, an ophthalmologist replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens, restoring sight. This eye care professional also performs surgeries to repair eye injuries to help prevent permanent damage.

If you have refractive errors, a qualified ophthalmologist may use a laser to reshape the cornea and reduce the need for contacts or glasses. This professional also prescribes medication to manage eye issues like macular degeneration that causes vision loss in the center of the field of view. Patients with diabetic retinopathy might visit an ophthalmologist for laser treatment and injections to improve vision or reduce swelling.

Opticians

Opticians offer patients the correct visual aids, such as eyeglasses and contact lenses, that fit properly and function well. An optician uses the prescriptions optometrists and ophthalmologists provide to assist you in choosing the right lenses. Depending on your face shape, lifestyle, and style, an optician can guide you toward contacts or lenses that best meet those needs. This professional also suggests adding anti-reflective, UV protection, and scratch-resistant coatings to lenses for further eye protection.

To position lenses in frames correctly, an optician takes measurements of your eyes, allowing your glasses to fit comfortably. This eye care can also recommend the right type of contact lenses to improve astigmatism or multifocal vision types. They can teach you how to insert, remove, and care for your contact lenses to avoid problems like infections.

Orthoptists

Orthoptists diagnose and manage disorders affecting eye movement and coordination. They work closely with ophthalmologists to provide treatment for lazy eye, in which one eye has minimal vision compared to the other. For this condition, treatment involves patching the stronger eye so that the brain uses the weaker one to improve sight.

An orthoptist uses eye exercises and vision therapy to treat strabismus, a condition where eyes don’t point in the same direction. This eye health issue may involve one or both eyes, but an orthoptist works on improving the coordination. In binocular eye disorders, this professional employs activities that train the eye muscles, exercises for accurate focusing, or utilizes tools, such as prisms, to modify the eye’s alignment.

Book an Appointment With an Eye Doctor

If you need routine eye exams and prescription glasses, it is best to visit an optometrist, and opticians usually work in the office to provide same-day fittings. Ophthalmologists and orthoptists are experienced in diagnosing and treating injury and age-related vision disorders. To improve your vision and manage different eye conditions, schedule an appointment to see an eye doctor today.