Your Appointment With An Opthalmologist — What To Expect

An opthalmologist evaluates and treats eye issues that affect sight and cause discomfort. If you have noticed any changes in your vision or the manner in which your eyes look or feel, the following guidelines will prepare you for a visit with an opthalmologist.

Comprehensive Services

Visiting an ophthalmologist is similar to visiting an optometrist. An opthalmologist offers many of the same services as an optometrist. An optometrist aids with maintaining a patient's eye health and detecting eye issues that require a corrective procedure. An opthalmologist uses an in-depth approach when examining the eyes and diagnosing an eye issue.

Glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, macular degeneration, and a range of physical problems that are associated with the eyelids can be identified through an opthalmologist's examination. This type of doctor will use a comprehensive grouping of tests to determine what type of medical issue a patient is experiencing. 

The Days Leading Up To An Appointment

Your optometrist may refer you to an opthalmologist. If so, you will be furnished with the name of the provider, their address, and a brief overview of the services they perform. If you are going to be researching opthalmologists on your own, contact several providers and inquire about the insurance that is accepted and the services that each provider offers.

Once you have made your appointment, take care of your eyes as you normally would. Be receptive to the types of visual issues or physical issues that you experience leading up to your appointment. It may be helpful to jot down the symptoms that you experience. Include the dates when you experience an eye problem. Some chronic eye issues may bother you every day. If so, document this.

The Appointment

At the onset of your appointment with an opthalmologist, the doctor will try to gain a better understanding of the eye problem. Share all of the symptoms that you have been keeping track of. The doctor will look into your eyes and may use a dilation process to observe the optic nerve and retina.

The vision test that is performed during an examination may seem familiar to the one you receive through your optometrist. Most testing procedures will be brief but will provide an opthalmologist with a clear assessment of your eyes' health. At the end of your appointment, the doctor will speak with you. They will outline the diagnosis that they have made and will provide treatment information.

For more information on ophthalmology, contact a professional near you.