What is an ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist is a doctor that specializes in caring for your eyes and vision. Ophthalmologists are qualified to practice medicine and perform surgeries. Some ophthalmologists specialize in a particular eye condition, like glaucoma or retinal problems.
When should you see an ophthalmologist?
It’s important to have your eyes examined regularly. The condition of your eyes can give clues to other medical problems before there are other physical signs. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that all adults have a comprehensive eye examination with eye dilation by the time they are age 40.
There are some things that you should immediately see an ophthalmologist for. These include:
- Changes in vision or sudden blurry vision
- Floaters or flashes in your vision
- Double vision
- Sudden loss of vision
What do ophthalmologists see when they look in your eye?
When ophthalmologists look into your eye, they see structures in the back of the eye. These include blood vessels, the retina, and the optic disc. Changes in these structures can show an eye problem or a health problem affecting your eyes.
What can an ophthalmologist diagnose?
Besides problems with your vision, ophthalmologists can diagnose several things, including:
- Aneurysm
- Brain tumors
- Cancers
- Diabetes
- Giant cell arteritis (an inflammatory condition)
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Lupus
- Lyme disease
- Medication toxicities
- Multiple sclerosis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sarcoidosis (an inflammatory condition)
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Sjogren’s syndrome (an autoimmune disease)
- Stroke
- Thyroid disease
- Vascular disease
- Vitamin A deficiency
What illnesses can be seen in the eyes?
Some illnesses cause changes that can be seen in the eyes. Diabetes causes changes in blood vessels, including the ones in your eyes. These changes can lead to loss of vision. High blood pressure also causes changes in the blood vessels in the back of the eye. The conditions listed above all have classic characteristics that an ophthalmologist will see during an eye exam.
What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?
Optometrists are not medical doctors. They specialize in vision treatment through vision testing and correction of visual changes. Their training consists of college, followed by four years of optometry school. Ophthalmologists are doctors who care for all eye conditions and problems. They can also perform surgery. Often optometrists and ophthalmologists work together in the same office in a team care model.
