Being aware that you have issues with your vision or eye health is common but determining the specifics behind them and needing treatment is when you should visit an eye doctor.
There are two types of eye doctors that work with specialized areas of eye vision, health, and care. To determine which you will need to see, here is a better understanding of their independent roles.
Ophthalmologists
The ophthalmologist is a medical doctor with a specialization in the treatment of conditions of the eye. They provide eye examinations and vision testing, but they are also able to conduct eye surgery for all types of conditions of the eye.
Most people in Colorado Springs, CO, will only visit an ophthalmologist if they were referred by their primary care physician, or there is an established issue with their vision that requires an Ophthalmologist services.
Optometrists
Optometrists most commonly provide vision tests and eye examinations. These eye specialists have an OD or Doctor of Optometry degree, but they are not medical doctors. An optometrist is able to prescribe medication for certain eye diseases and diagnose and treat specific types of eye conditions.
They are also able to provide patients with corrective vision assistance through prescriptive lenses – contact lenses as well as glasses, depending on the preferability of the patient.
Finally, the optician is the specialist who takes the prescription from the optometrist and implements them into the corrective lenses or glasses that are customized to the needs of the patient.
