Who is an eye doctor, and when should you visit one?
Eye doctors, also known as ophthalmologists, are licensed medical professionals who diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication for eye diseases. The services of an ophthalmologist include:
- Vision tests such as routine eye exams and tests for color deficiency, proper pupil dilation function, etc
- Medical eye care for ailments like iritis, glaucoma, and chemical burns
- Eye surgery for crossed eyes, cataracts, glaucoma, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
- Detection of eye conditions related to other diseases, like arthritis or diabetes
- Plastic surgery to raise drooping eyelids or smooth out wrinkles
Here's when you should visit an eye doctor:
- If you have a family history of eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, or macular degeneration
- If you have diabetes
- If you work in a job that requires you to look at a screen constantly, it can worsen your vision. Therefore, getting an eye exam can help evaluate and correct your vision.
- If you experience symptoms such as watery eye discharge, burning, itchiness, redness, or eye pain that won't go away in a few days
- If you have double vision or are seeing circles around lights
What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist?
Ophthalmologists and optometrists can administer routine eye exams and diagnose and treat eye conditions. The critical difference lies in their training and education levels.
Ophthalmologists are MD or osteopathic doctors (DO) who complete nearly 12 to 13 years of advanced medical training, allowing them to prescribe medication, perform eye surgery, and treat a broader range of eye conditions instead of optometrists and opticians. Some ophthalmologists further specialize in a particular medical or surgical eye care area. These subspecialties include strabismus/pediatric ophthalmology, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, retina surgery, anterior segment/cornea, oculoplastic surgery, and ocular oncology.
On the other hand, optometrists complete a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree after completing two to four years of college and then four years in optometry school. They provide primary vision care, which involves vision testing, detecting abnormalities in the eye, and giving correction and treatment. Optometrists in some states in the US are allowed to dispense medication. Optometrists and ophthalmologists work together in the same clinic and are assisted by ophthalmic medical technicians for specific tests and surgeries.
What can you anticipate in an eye exam with the best eye doctor near you?
Before you visit an eye doctor, choose which eye specialist you want to see. You can visit an optometrist for a regular eye exam and diagnosis of common eye disorders. Your optometrist may refer you to an ophthalmologist if you have complex eye problems and require surgery. To buy prescription glasses and contact lenses, you can visit an optician.
At your first appointment, your eye doctor can ask about your medical history, medications (including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements), and the symptoms you've been experiencing. Questions may include:
- Are you having eye problems? Have you had them in the past?
- Do you wear contact lenses or glasses?
- What health conditions have you had in the past?
- Are there any medications you're allergic to?
- Does anyone in your family have eye conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, or retinal detachments?
- Is there a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease?
After asking a few questions, a technician may administer an initial eye exam, including a chart reading test, and give you eye drops to dilate your eyes so that your ophthalmologist can examine the inside of your eye. Here are some other tests that your doctor may perform:
- Eye muscle evaluation: This test evaluates muscle weakness, poor control, or coordination. Your doctor will examine your eyes as you follow a moving object, such as a torch light or a pen.
- Color vision testing: To detect color blindness, you will be shown several multicolored dot patterns. If you're not colorblind, you can identify numbers and shapes from within the dot patterns.
- Glaucoma screening: Performing tonometry helps to detect glaucoma. It measures the fluid pressure inside your eye. If your eye pressure is higher or there are optic nerve issues, it could signify glaucoma. The normal range of eye pressure is 10 to 21 mmHg.
What is color blindness?
Color blindness, more accurately, although rarely referred to as color vision deficiency, is defined as the inability to differentiate between specific colors - red, green, and blue. While "color blind" is commonly used, actual color blindness—where everything appears in black and white—is rare.
The condition is typically inherited, and men are likelier to be born with it. Most individuals with color blindness struggle to distinguish between shades of red and green, while fewer people have trouble distinguishing between blue and yellow hues.
Sometimes, color blindness can also result from certain eye diseases or medications.
The perception of color depends on cone cells in the retina, which detect light and send signals to the brain. In people with normal vision (trichromats), three types of cones allow for full-color vision. However, when there's an issue with one of these cones, people may develop color vision deficiencies. Anomalous trichromats can still see colors but with difficulty. Dichromats lack one of the three cone types, making distinguishing specific colors, such as red-green or blue-yellow, harder. Monochromats, the rarest type, cannot see any colors, only shades of gray.
Color blindness can present challenges in daily life, such as choosing clothes, driving, identifying ripe fruits, or even determining if they have a sunburn. It can also limit career opportunities in aviation, the military, or design, where color differentiation is essential. Early detection by an eye doctor near you is critical, especially in children, as school materials often rely on color coding for learning.
What is the right time to start an eye examination?
There is no set age to get an eye examination, but it is advised to go for regular eye checkups at least twice a year. Adults aged 18-55 must visit an optometrist once or twice a year. Individuals can take their kids to eye-care specialists when they turn one year old. As they grow, ensure they are taken for regular checks at least twice a year.
Early detection helps cure many eye-related problems and may help prevent vision loss. However, you may need to visit the best eye doctor near you more often if you wear glasses or vision-correcting lenses. Moreover, you can ask your optometrist if you need frequent visits.
Tips to take care of the eyes
In addition to visiting an optometrist, here are a few tips that help maintain good eyesight:
- Consuming a well-balanced and nutrition-rich diet that includes plenty of green leafy vegetables and fruits is crucial, as they are good deposits of vitamin A. Individuals can also include omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, as they benefit the eyes.
- Wear sunglasses, especially when exposed to the sun for a long time. Sunglasses protect from UV rays and can block UV-A and UV-B radiations.
- Maintain a healthy body weight to lower the risk of obesity and diabetes. Both diseases can put you at greater risk of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
- Reduce screen time, especially laptops and TVs. If you work long hours on laptops, consider wearing anti-blue light glasses. Take a break from the screen for 20 minutes.
- Wash your eyes twice a day to remove dirt and other particles.
- Perform eye exercises recommended by the optometrist daily. If you are still experiencing any issues, consult with an optometrist.
Find eye care in San Diego, CA
Getting regular eye exams done not only keeps your eye health in check but also helps to detect any eye disease that may have no symptoms. If you reside in San Diego, California, and are looking for the best eye doctor near you, Zocdoc is here to help you find one from the comfort of your home.
You can find the right eye doctor near you and book an online consultation or in-person visit with just a few clicks. Visit Zocdoc and enter information like your location, condition, insurance carrier, and the date you wish to schedule an appointment. Upon searching, you'll be shown a list of top-rated eye doctors. You can view their education, medical training, certifications, location, and v for more specific results verified patient reviews.
Zocdoc allows users to book an appointment 24 hours in advance, on the same day, or even after hours (post 5 pm), depending on the doctor's availability. You can also check whether a doctor is in-network by selecting your insurance carrier and plan from the drop-down menu available on the website.
Zocdoc's insurance detector helps you quickly find in-network providers nearby. Zocdoc prompts you to enter your insurance details or confirm that you're paying out-of-pocket when scheduling an appointment. Some healthcare providers require insurance information to book appointments. However, if you don't have insurance or prefer not to use it, you can still find a suitable eye doctor near you through Zocdoc. For more insurance information, visit Zocdoc's patient help center.
All bookings with Zocdoc are fast, free, and secure!
Ophthalmic care in San Diego, California
As per data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in May 2021, California employs nearly 5610 ophthalmic medical technicians who assist eye specialists in clinical functions such as administering medication, conducting eye exams, and informing patients on how to use corrective lenses. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA's metropolitan area has 60 ophthalmologists (except pediatric), 790 ophthalmic medical technicians, and 240 ophthalmic laboratory technicians.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) reports that more than 760,000 people in California are blind or face severe difficulty seeing, even with prescription glasses. Severe vision impairment was higher in those with poor health (12%) than those with good health (2%), and such individuals are more likely to have mobility issues, arthritis, and diabetes.
Data collated by Prevent Blindness America shows that over 6 million people in California aged 40 and above suffer from eye conditions such as hyperopia (1,477,996 cases), diabetic retinopathy (939,418 cases), glaucoma (303,306 cases), cataract (2,606,606 cases) and age-related macular degeneration for those aged 50 and above (203,405 cases).
Sources
Mayo Clinic[1]
Mayo Clinic[2]
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
WebMD[1]
American Academy of Ophthalmology
University of Pennsylvania- Penn Medicine
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[1]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[2]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD[2]
