4 Tips For Picking An Eye Doctor

When you choose a healthcare provider, it is important that you do it well. A foundation of trust and communication is necessary, otherwise, a lot can go wrong.

Anxiety over treatments may cause you to miss appointments. If you don’t have all the information you need or vice versa, it’s frustrating all around.

The same applies to the eye care field. Your vision is very delicate and important to the way that you interact with the world. It makes sense to match with an ophthalmologist or optometrist that you can believe in. Here are some ways to help narrow down your selection.

Know the Difference

Optometrists and ophthalmologists are licensed to work on eyes, but at varying levels. Optometrists can treat a select few eye diseases and prescribe medications. They cannot perform eye surgery.

Ophthalmologists can treat all kinds of eye diseases and prescribe medication. More importantly, they can also perform eye surgery. A degree in ophthalmology takes more education to get.

Which kind of doctor you need is dependent on what kind of vision problems you have. If you need glasses or contacts, you can visit an optometrist. For more complicated issues, you should plan on seeing an ophthalmologist.

Check Their Credentials

You should make sure that your doctor has all the required training and experience. This is the case for being an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

Optometrists need to have a college degree plus four more years in optometry school. Ophthalmologists need to have gone to a regular college, followed by medical school.

After medical school, they need another four years at a residency. They may continue their schooling after this, depending on what they specialize in.

All this information is online and available to the public. Look at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Board of Ophthalmology, the American Board of Optometry, and the American Medical Association. These websites can provide you with any information that you may be searching for.

Get Referrals

If you know someone that has been to an eye care practice that they love, this is a good place to start. Otherwise, you can look up reviews online.

Be careful, as online reviews are not always trustworthy. You can get a good idea of the reputation of the practice, but don’t get hung up on a single review- good or bad.

Visit the Office

There is no substitute for firsthand experience. Going to the office for a regular appointment can allow you to see how they keep their office.

You can also decide how professional they and their staff are, and whether you “click” with them. Don’t ignore your instincts.

If you don’t like the place, but can’t put your finger on why there are plenty of professionals to choose from.

Looking for an eye care practice that specializes in cataract and glaucoma treatment? Schedule an appointment at Eye Physicians & Surgeons of Arizona in Scottsdale, AZ! It’s never too late to make your eyes a priority!