| People who complain of certain eye problems will | | | | duties for the eye doctor. They can go into the |
| usually see their primary care doctor or | | | | eye and do an exploration to assess the problem, |
| emergency room physician. These doctors can | | | | or they can do definitive treatment. Surgical |
| diagnose some of the diseases and probably treat | | | | procedures done by an ophthalmologist are |
| some of them. However, much of the treatment | | | | cataract removal, treatment of certain types of |
| is reliant on an eye doctor. If the patient needs | | | | glaucoma, and surgery for a detached retina. |
| glasses, they will have to go to an ophthalmologist | | | | Another reason a primary doctor would refer |
| for the full examination. However, there are many | | | | there patient to an ophthalmologist is that they |
| reasons why a person would need an eye doctor, | | | | need certain treatment with a medication. Some |
| and these will be discussed. | | | | drugs that eye doctors use are good for treating |
| There are many things to ask to assess | | | | some conditions, however, if that drug is not |
| someone's eye condition. It is important to do a | | | | monitored closely, permanent eye damage could |
| thorough interview as well as examination to get | | | | occur. This would in the end need an |
| the correct diagnosis. A patient might be asked | | | | ophthalmologist's referral. So, it is better to let the |
| depending on their condition these questions. Do | | | | eye doctor prescribe it to prevent complications. |
| they have vision loss? Is it painful? Does it look | | | | Going to an eye doctor is usually because their is |
| like there is a curtain coming down over the eye? | | | | some problem more challenging than routine eye |
| Is the pain sudden in onset, or has it been there a | | | | problems. However, eye doctors see plenty of |
| long time? | | | | patients to give them new prescriptions for their |
| There are many reasons as to why someone | | | | eyeglasses. Eye doctors see many disorders |
| would have vision loss, eye pain, or a headache | | | | which require surgical treatment because this is |
| coinciding this eye problems. A thorough | | | | their specialty. Other doctors can not do invasive |
| examination needs to be done to diagnose the | | | | procedures like ophthalmologists. |
| problem. Looking at the patient or inspecting them | | | | There might be confusion between an eye doctor |
| can give many clues before other evaluations are | | | | or ophthalmologist and an optometrist. As |
| done. A traumatic injury would be obvious, but | | | | described above, the eye doctor can handle many |
| other evaluation would be needed to make sure | | | | serious diseases of the eye including emergencies |
| there is no vision loss. | | | | and surgical procedures. The optometrist is a |
| Other serious eye problems include diabetic | | | | common person trained to assess the vision of a |
| retinopathy, glaucoma, detached retina, cataracts. | | | | person. They can write prescriptions for new |
| Vision loss due to high blood pressure can be a | | | | glasses, and they may be able to assess several |
| serious emergency. However, they also treat | | | | diseases. However, they in turn would need to |
| many patients who are not emergent and need | | | | consult a doctor for more concerning conditions |
| only new glasses. | | | | like glaucoma. |
| Surgical procedures of the eye are also common | | | | |