A person may experience eye issues at any point in their life. If you are having eye problems, seeing an appropriate eye care professional is necessary. An ophthalmologist is a medical eye specialist who is an expert in eye and vision care due to their years of education and training. They diagnose injuries, conditions, and diseases affecting the eyes and their connected structures. In addition, they are licensed to perform surgery on top of the expert eye care they can provide to patients. This website contains helpful information for those looking for an eye doctor around the Florida area.
When it comes to eye problems, a good eye doctor can help in many ways:
Perform an eye exam
In an eye exam, an eye doctor looks for specific issues while testing your vision at the same time. One of the steps included in an eye exam is reading an eye chart, which examines a patient’s visual acuity. The ophthalmologist will also ask a patient to do specific eye motions to test if all muscles are functioning properly.
Shining a light into the patient’s eyes will also let the doctor check for side vision and if the pupils respond correctly. They can also make use of an ophthalmoscope to check the pressure inside the eyes.
During the examination, eye drops may also be given to the patient, which will dilate the pupils to make the examination more accurate.
Diagnose eye conditions
Ophthalmologists can diagnose the kind of vision problem a patient has, such as checking for diseases, including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. If the patient’s eye condition can be cured using medication, glasses or contact lenses, the eye doctor will issue a prescription.
For patients who have ocular injuries, the ophthalmologist will also know if surgery is a viable option for their condition. Pre- and post-operative care may also be provided by the doctor.
Provide specialized eye care and treatment
Apart from a routine eye exam, a good eye doctor can also diagnose eye problems because they specialize in specific eye conditions and the kinds of surgeries that need to be performed. For example, an ophthalmologist can specialize in the treatment of diseases of the sclera or cornea, enabling them to manage and treat diseases of this part of the eye. An ophthalmologist can also specialize in glaucoma management, which may require surgical treatment for patients.
Another specialization includes ophthalmic plastic surgery, which pertains to cosmetic surgery involving the eye area, tear glands, and eyelids. You may also find ophthalmologists who specialize in adult or child eye care. Others choose to specialize in vision correction surgery, ophthalmic surgery, or age-related eye conditions.
Perform surgery as needed
If surgery is necessary to treat a patient’s condition, an ophthalmologist will operate on the patient’s eyes, usually with a laser. They may also get rid of cataracts, correct a person’s nearsightedness, and transplant a cornea. Some situations may also require an ophthalmologist’s expertise in surgically removing tiny debris in a patient’s eye perhaps due to an accident, and help in growths or tumors on a patient’s ocular nerve.
Design a treatment plan
Using laboratory tests, an eye doctor can diagnose an eye problem and develop a treatment plan. Depending on their condition, a patient may be required to undergo vision therapy or rehabilitation exercises. If you are afraid of laser surgery for your eye problem you can take alternative treatment that does not use lasers like Visian ICL surgery. There are also instances when ophthalmologists will recommend a neurologist, chemotherapist or endocrinologist to their patients. Similarly, medical doctors in other fields may request their patients to have an eye examination, especially when they suffer from an underlying condition that can affect their vision.
Help recognize other health problems
Aside from diagnosing and treating diseases, an ophthalmologist can also provide solutions to all eye issues such as contact lenses, glasses, and even surgery. However, an eye doctor’s help doesn’t end there.
Because of their medical background, ophthalmologists can also help check other health problems that aren’t directly connected to the eyes. When an eye doctor sees symptoms of underlying health issues, they can then refer their patients to the proper medical doctor for further testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Many of these eye doctors are also actively involved in scientific research on the causes and new approaches to vision problems and eye diseases.
Final thoughts
An eye doctor or an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor that specializes in the eyes. Although there are also other kinds of eye experts, ophthalmologists undergo rigorous training and education to help them provide medical eye treatment and even perform eye surgery when necessary. With the help of other experts in the medical field, an eye doctor can also help check for other diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.