A Visit to the Eye Doctor
Taking a role in maintaining your eyesight includes choosing a healthcare provider best suited for your needs – one that has the right training and experience, can give proper diagnosis and treatment, is informative, promotes the best possible outcome and guides care through genuine concern.
Getting Started: How to Choose an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist
- Qualifications
- Make sure that the professional has the proper and adequate training to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases.
- Experience
- An optometrist or ophthalmologist who has more experience will probably be better able to detect eye disease and diagnose disorders.
- An eye health professional who participates in and is current with the latest research is more knowledgeable about the latest techniques in diagnosing and treating eye disease.
- Services offered
- Choosing an eye health professional who is able to provide a wide range of services is beneficial, but you also should select your provider by what services you need.
- One who provides fewer services may be able to provide more specialization.
- Patient satisfaction
- Knowing that patients have consumer loyalty to their healthcare provider and encourage others to see their own doctor is a very good indicator of quality.
When Should I See a Specialist?
You should see a specialist when referred by your physician or eye health provider for specific eye concerns. There is a wealth of information about the eyes and visual system. Specialists, because of the scope of their focus, can better pinpoint disease-related problems.
How Often Should I See My Specialist?
You should visit your eye healthcare provider at least once per year, or immediately if you have any degree of sudden vision loss, eye pain or irritation.