When to see an eye health professional

It is important to look after your sight and you need to be proactive in seeking the proper medical care should you notice anything irregular. Taking a role in maintaining your sight and preventing its loss includes choosing a health care provider best suited for your needs.

Many people do not bother to visit their eye health professional until it becomes a serious problem. You need to see your eye health professional in any of the following conditions.

  1. One of the most common signs of your eye problem is the sudden appearance of tears. If you find that with very less strain or no strain at all your eyes start to have tears, it's time for you to visit an eye health professional. Tears or moistness of your eyes is one of common signs of developing eye problems.
  2. If for some reasons you are feeling blurred visions at specific times of the day or at night, it is a sign of eye problem. Blurred vision, haziness and lack of clarity of distant objects do require you to visit your optometrist.
  3. Many people injure their eyes in some way or the other. It can happen that they have hurt their eyes in an accident or experiencing some kind of pain after being injured, in such cases you'll need to visit an eye health professional.
  4. If you find that there is a sudden appearance of spots or strings floating in the field or if you see there are sudden flashes of light in one of your eyes or both eyes, it means that you need to visit your doctor soon. If you feel that you are slowly losing your vision, you should visit your doctor immediately.
  5. Many people experience symptoms which is flu like. Such symptoms maybe in the form of muscle aches fever and also pain in the eyes. In such cases, they need to visit a doctor immediately. This can be symptoms of some eye disease which is developing in the eyes.
  6. Many people complain of thick nasal drainage and complain of different types of pressure and pain in the forehead. Such pain can be experienced just behind the eyes also, which can be a sign of some more developing disease within the eyes.
  7. People who suffer from diabetes need to visit their eye health professional at regular intervals. Since such a disease is related to many kinds of eye complaints, it's vital for diabetic patients to visit their doctors to keep their eyes safe.
  8. You need to see an eye health professional at least once a year to ensure your eyesight is well maintained.

Choosing an eye health professional who is able to provide a wide range of services is beneficial, but you also should select your provider according to services you need. One who provides fewer services may sometimes be able to provide more specialization with a service or certain diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts. You should examine your eye health needs to determine which health care provider you should see. Below is a list of the different type of eye health professionals and what each one does:

1. Ophthalmologist
Degree: M.D., which requires four years of medical school, at least three years of residency, and typically two more years of specialized training

The top docs on the eye chain, ophthalmologists are surgeons who can perform cataract removals, retinal reattachments, and more. They can also do your regular comprehensive vision checkup.


2. Optometrist
Degree: O.D., which requires four years of post-grad doctorate training

Day-to-day eye issues, such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism (the inability to focus on a set point) can be diagnosed and treated by these professionals, who are not medical doctors but instead have a doctoral degree. They can do comprehensive vision exams and prescribe contact lenses and glasses.


3. Optician
Degree: None, although some countries require a one-to two-year certification degree and license from the local authority.

Dispensing prescription eyeglasses and making adjustments or repairs to your specs are an optician's primary responsibilities. (In other words, this is the person at your local eyeglasses shop like Spec-savers etc.)

Inside Your Eye Exam
A comprehensive test is a multistep investigation to see what is wrong.  


Visual Acuity Test: Yep, it's the age-old eye chart. as you call out letters on a randomized chart, your doctor can discern how close and far you can see?through both eyes, separately and together?and whether you need glasses.

Pressure Test: Glaucoma occurs when fluid builds up in the eyeball, causing harmful pressure. When your doctor shoots a puff of air into your eye, s/he can measure eye pressure via light reflections.

Dilation: In order to look deep inside your eyes, your M.D. or O.D. needs to dilate, or widen, your pupils with a few painless eye drops (you'll have fuzzy vision for a while). Some opticians can now do a similar procedure with a camera like gadget, but it's still best to be fully dilated during an exam. The camera doesn't always capture the whole picture.

Slit Lamp Exam: Your doctor uses a bright light and microscope to zero in on your cornea, iris, and retina. S/he can spot foreign tissue, and you'll often also get a drop of yellow dye that makes corneal scratches more visible.


These are some of the tests but the eye health professional will advise on more necessary steps. This article is to inform you on how to ensure that you take care of your "windows to the soul" and is not meant to replace any professional advice. Always ask your doctor if you are unsure of anything.

Also, if you currently wear glasses or contact lenses, bring them with you to your eye appointment. Come prepared to report your health history such as allergies, medications, surgeries, and any conditions, such as diabetes etc. and don't be afraid to ask questions, it`s only in your own interest to do so.

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Page Created: 4 April 2012