How do you choose an eye doctor?
There are two types of eye specialists: ophthalmologists and optometrists. Consult optometrists for primary eye care, and they will refer you to ophthalmologists if needed. However, seek an ophthalmologist for surgery for cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye diseases.
Who are ophthalmologists?
Ophthalmologists offer complete eye care services and come with training in medical school, including one year of internship and three years of residency. A few of their services include eye exams, treatment of glaucoma, surgical procedures like cataracts, and plastic surgeries.
Ophthalmologists are supposed to complete four years of medical school and one year post-graduation. After post-graduation, they must complete three years of residency focusing on ophthalmology. After completing their written and oral exams, they finally get certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
Ophthalmologists can also undergo fellowship training to specialize in any ophthalmology subspecialties. Some ophthalmology subspecialties include Glaucoma, Uveitis, Neuro-ophthalmology, Plastic and reconstructive surgery, and Ocular oncology.
When should you see an ophthalmologist?
You should consult an ophthalmologist if you're experiencing the following:
- Bulging eyes
- Excessive tearing
- Misaligned eyes
- Unexplained redness in the eyes
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Eyelid abnormalities
- Seeing flashes of light
Apart from these conditions, one might also require emergency care if symptoms include sudden loss of vision, severe eye pain, or eye injury. You should also consult an ophthalmologist if you're suffering from a condition affecting your eyes, like diabetes, HIV, high blood pressure, or thyroid conditions.
Who are optometrists?
Optometrists are healthcare professionals who offer primary vision care. The professionals at these clinics provide various services, from vision testing and correction to diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision changes.
A person studying to become an optometrist attends optometry school rather than medical school. A doctorate in optometry can take up to four years of postgraduate study. Optometrists are not surgical specialists and rarely perform surgery. However, they can perform minor surgeries like laser eye surgery and foreign body removal.
Optometry programs last approximately four years, depending on the school and curriculum. The curriculum includes basic and advanced eye examination techniques, client case histories, and case studies. Students receive full-time clinical training as residents during the program's final one to two years.
An optometrist can meet most of your routine eye care needs. It would help if you visited them for a routine eye exam yearly to ensure that your eyesight is optimized and your eyes are healthy. A comprehensive eye exam is necessary for monitoring your eyes because many eye disorders show no symptoms.
What to expect during your first eye checkup?
After completing the new patient paperwork, you will proceed to the exam room to meet with the doctor. The exact nature of the exam will differ, but here are some things you can anticipate:
- History of the patient: Your doctor will inquire about your overall health and any family history of eye diseases.
- Vision tests: The doctor will examine your near and far vision. You'll be reading from random letter charts. In addition to 3-D vision, the doctor may test your side vision (peripheral vision) and color perception.
- Tonometry: This is a glaucoma test. After giving you an eye drop anesthetic, the doctor will use a tonometer or a puff of air to assess your eye pressure.
- Eye exam: The doctor will examine every part of your eye. Drops may be required to dilate or widen your pupils. It allows the doctor to see inside your eye. For a few hours, these drops make your eyes sensitive to light. You'll have to wear sunglasses until the effect fades. The doctor will also assess your peripheral vision and the coordination of your eye muscles.
- Other tests: These include tests such as early detection of diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and arthritis. If the doctor discovers anything unusual, you may need to see your regular doctor or a specialist.
Cataracts
Ophthalmologists commonly treat cataracts, an eye condition primarily affecting people over sixty. Some widely known symptoms of cataracts are:
- Cloudy or blurry vision
- Nearsightedness
- Double vision in the eye with cataract
- Trouble with eyeglasses
There are many types of cataracts. Some of them include the following:
- Nuclear cataracts: These cataracts usually form in the center of the lens due to old age. With time, the lens hardens, the small details get blurred, and people start seeing halos around bright objects.
- Cortical cataracts: These cataracts form on the outside edge of the lenses called the cortex. They include white triangles pointing toward the center of the eyes, causing light scattering. In other words, it causes glaring, which makes the vision hazy. This cataract makes it difficult to judge how far an object is.
- Congenital cataracts: Congenital cataracts form early and are caused by genetic disorders or an illness the pregnant mother suffers, like rubella. The cataracts are primarily small and develop outside the center of the lens, which doesn't require treatments. However, if a child is born with a congenital cataract that blocks vision, ophthalmologists perform surgery to remove it as it may affect the eye's sight.
- Traumatic cataracts: Injuries can also lead to cataracts, such as getting hit by a ball, burned, or chemicals. Cataracts can form immediately after the injury or take a few years.
- Secondary cataracts: Doctors call it secondary when an underlying medical condition causes cataracts. Diseases like diabetes and taking steroids can cause secondary cataracts.
- Radiation cataracts: We are familiar with UV rays harming the skin. However, UV rays can also cause cataracts to form in the eyes. Spending much time under the sun can cause cataracts, and cataracts can also develop from radiation therapy for cancer.
- Lamellar or zonular cataracts: Lamellar cataracts are mainly found in children and form in both eyes. The condition is genetic, and the parents generally pass it on to the child. Cataracts form fine white dots on the lens, possibly turning the whole center white.
Diagnosis of cataracts
The doctor will prescribe a few tests after looking at your symptoms. These include:
- Visual acuity test: A visual acuity test or an eye-chart exam is where the specialist will ask you to read letters displayed at a distance to judge your vision.
- Slit-lamp exam: In this exam, the doctor uses a special microscope with bright light to check different parts of your eye.
- Retinal exam: In this method, the doctor puts drops in your eyes to dilate the pupil and then examines the retina to see the cataract better.
Ways to relieve digital eye strain at home
Working long hours on a computer screen or other digital devices can cause eye strain or fatigue. These issues are called computer vision syndrome (CVS) or digital eye strain. This can affect people of all ages and cause headaches, blurry vision, eyes aching, watering, tiredness, or burning. These may be caused by poor lighting, poor sitting posture, glare on a digital screen, or a combination of all these problems.
If you experience constant eye strain, you should consult an eye doctor near you who can discover the underlying cause of your eye problem. However, there are ways you can relieve digital eye strain by incorporating a few simple tips into your work/study routine. Some standard methods of reducing digital eye strain at home include-
- Try switching to computer glasses: Wearing computer glasses while working or studying on a computer screen can help relieve eye fatigue. You must note that these are not the same as blue-light-blocking glasses. Computer glasses are prescription glasses that may have multifocal lenses to help shift your focus between close and far distances.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Another effective way to alleviate digital eye strain is to view an object or image 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds, at least every 20 minutes.
- Adjust your device's brightness, font size, and contrast: When your phone or computer screen glows brighter than your natural surroundings, your eyes may have to work harder to read or see things on the screen, which often leads to strain. You can use a matte screen to reduce the glare. Increasing the font size to view text on your screen can prevent squinting, reducing eye strain.
- Adjust your seat and device position: Sit 20-26 inches (or about arm's length) away from the screen you're working on so it's below eye level. Also, make sure the chair fits your physique.
- Apply lubricating eye drops or artificial tears: Lubricating eye drops can treat dry eyes by replenishing some of the tears' ingredients. These protect the surface of the eyes. Patients can buy eye drops or artificial tears over the counter and use them as often as needed or as prescribed by an eye doctor. Generally, doctors recommend that those with severe dry eyes use preservative-free eye drops. Note that some artificial tears may have side effects like blurry vision.
Foods that benefit your eyes
The good news is that you can support the health of your eyesight with the same nutrient-dense meals that help your heart and general well-being. There are also lots of delectable selections to choose from.
Here are some eye-healthy foods to consider:
Eggs: Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse. The zinc in eggs helps your body absorb lutein and zeaxanthin from the yolk. These yellow-orange compounds filter harmful blue light, protecting your retina. They also enhance the protective pigment in the macula, which controls central vision.
Dark, leafy greens: Spinach, kale, and collard greens are rich in vitamins E and C, as well as the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein. These nutrients lower the risk of eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Sunflower seeds and nuts: A small serving of sunflower seeds or almonds provides half the recommended daily vitamin E intake. Studies have demonstrated that vitamin E and other nutrients can help prevent cataracts and reduce the progression of AMD. Hazelnuts, peanuts (technically legumes), and peanut butter offer good amounts of vitamin E.
Sweet potatoes: Orange-hued fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, mangos, and apricots, are rich in beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that aids in night vision and your eyes' ability to adjust to low light. One sweet potato can fulfill more than half of our daily vitamin C requirements, as well as a small amount of vitamin E.
Salmon: Your retinas require DHA and EPA, two types of omega-3 fatty acids, for optimal function. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, trout, and other seafood contain these omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s protect against AMD and glaucoma, whereas lacking these fatty acids can cause dry eyes.
Beans and legumes: For a plant-based, low-fat, high-fiber option that keeps your vision sharp and helps slow AMD, consider chickpeas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, and lentils. Even a simple can of baked beans can be a good source of zinc.
Consult your eye doctor to explore how these foods can fit into your diet for optimal eye health.
How can you find the best eye doctor near you in Phoenix, Arizona?
Several eye problems, such as cataracts, affect the older population, and poor vision makes it even more challenging for them to get proper care or seek healthcare. They need assistance booking appointments and reaching the eye care center or hospital. Zocdoc is of immense help in these cases as it allows you to book appointments online.
With top-rated ophthalmologists on board, Zocdoc provides the best healthcare with safe and secure appointment bookings. It publishes all the relevant information about the practitioner, including their educational background, board certification, and experience. The payment procedure is comfortable and includes options to pay with your insurance. Along with this information, the public reviews and ratings of the doctor are accessible to help you choose the right eye doctor near you.
Using Zocdoc's insurance detector, you can easily detect in-network providers. When booking an appointment on Zocdoc, the website prompts you to share details about your insurance or to acknowledge that you are paying out-of-pocket. Some healthcare providers need you to provide insurance information to schedule appointments. If you do not have insurance or do not want to use insurance for your appointment, you can always find another suitable provider on Zocdoc. For more insurance-related queries, check Zocdoc's patient help center.
All the bookings made at Zocdoc are 100% safe, secure, and free of charge.
State of eye health in Arizona
According to the National Eye Institute reports, the risk of cataracts increases each decade after 40. Additionally, women are more likely to get cataracts compared to men. It also states that about 61% of Americans with cataracts were women, and about 39% were men. The institute also predicts that by 2050, around 50 million population in the U.S. will have cataracts. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 159,000 people in Arizona reported blindness or severe difficulty in vision, even with glasses.
Sources
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
WebMD[3]
Healthline
Medical News Today
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American Optometric Association
American Academy of Ophthalmology
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