Do I Need an Ophthalmologist?

Should You See an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist?

Determining whether you need to see an ophthalmologist depends on your needs and your symptoms. An optometrist performs eye exams to detect vision problems and prescribes corrective lenses. Some optometrists offer low vision care and provide vision therapy. An optometrist is only appropriate if your eyes are healthy and you need only a checkup or an update for your eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Ophthalmologists also perform eye exams and prescribe corrective lenses but they can also perform eye surgery. They are also highly trained and skilled at diagnosing, monitoring and treating a variety of eye conditions, including glaucoma, macular degeneration or cataracts.

You may need an ophthalmologist if you have a pre-existing eye condition or a new eye problem that requires advanced care or surgery. If you are one of the nearly 25 million Americans with cataracts or 2.7 million people in the country with glaucoma, you need an ophthalmologist rather than an optometrist.

Determining whether you need to see an ophthalmologist depends on your needs and your symptoms.

Signs You Need to See an Ophthalmologist

• – Loss of vision or decreased vision in one or both of your eyes
• – Seeing sudden spots, flashes of light
• – Seeing lightning streaks or jagged lines of light, distortions or wavy lines,
• – Having wavy or watery vision, or seeing blurry faces, haloes around lights, double vision
• – Changes in your field of vision such as seeing shadows, black spots or blurriness
• – Having curtain-like loss of vision
• – Note changes in your color vision

You should see an ophthalmologist if you experience physical changes to your eyes, such as crossed eyes or eyes that turn inwards, outwards, upwards or downwards. Make an appointment with an ophthalmologist right away if you have eye pain, as this might be a symptom of a serious problem. Go in immediately if you notice signs of infection in one or both eyes, such as redness, swelling and discharge.

When You Need an Ophthalmologist, Choose Revere Health

Choosing an ophthalmologist is an important decision. You cannot trust your eye care or the health of your family’s eyes to just anyone – you need an ophthalmologist you can rely on for the highest quality of eye care. When you need an ophthalmologist, choose eye care professional from Revere Health. Our board certified ophthalmologists have the training, skills and tools they need to provide exceptional eye care any time you need an ophthalmologist. The highly recommended ophthalmologists at Revere Health treat all types of eye disease, prescribe medication and perform surgery on eyes. Our friendly and accommodating staff is ready to serve you at our convenient locations with office hours that fit your busy schedule.

Revere Health Ophthalmology offers patients the best in eye care from the treatment of eye-related diseases and conditions to prescribing glasses and contacts.