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By Mayo Clinic staffThree kinds of eye specialists may perform an eye exam:
- Ophthalmologists. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who provide full eye care, such as giving you a complete eye exam, prescribing corrective lenses, diagnosing and treating complex eye diseases, and performing eye surgery.
- Optometrists. Optometrists provide many of the same services as ophthalmologists, such as evaluating your vision, prescribing corrective lenses, diagnosing common eye disorders and treating selected eye diseases with drugs. But you'll likely be referred to an ophthalmologist for more complex eye problems and for conditions requiring surgery.
- Opticians. Opticians fill prescriptions for eyeglasses, including assembling, fitting and selling them. Some opticians also sell and fit contact lenses.
Which specialist you choose may be a matter of personal preference, or one specialist may be best for treating your particular eye concern.
What to expect from your doctor
If you're seeing a new eye doctor or if you're having your first eye exam, expect questions about your vision history. Your answers to these questions help your eye doctor understand your risk of eye disease and vision problems. Be prepared to give specific information, including:
- Are you having any eye problems now?
- Have you had any eye problems in the past?
- Were you born prematurely?
- Do you wear glasses or contacts now? If so, are you satisfied with them?
- What health problems have you had in recent years?
- Are you taking any medications?
- Do you have any allergies to medications, food or other substances?
- Has anyone in your family had eye problems, such as cataracts or glaucoma?
- Has anyone in your family had diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or any other health problems that can affect the whole body?
If you wear contact lenses, bring them to your appointment. Your eye doctor will want to make sure your prescription is the best one for you. Also be prepared to remove your contacts for certain exams. Tests that use orange dye (fluorescein) to temporarily color your eye may permanently dye your contact lenses, so take them out before those types of tests.
- Healthy vision. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ08DZO3SC&sub_cat=2015. Accessed Sept. 17, 2008.
- Comprehensive eye and vision examination. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/eye-exams.xml. Accessed Sept. 17, 2008.
- Comprehensive Adult Eye and Vision Examination. St. Louis, Mo.: American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/documents/CPG-1.pdf. Accessed Sept. 17, 2008.
- Bakri SJ. Mayo Clinic Guide to Better Vision. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2007:13-20,122-125.
- Knoop KJ. Slit lamp examination. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 17, 2008.
- Screening for visual impairment in children younger than age 5 years. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/3rduspstf/visionscr/vischrs.htm. Accessed Sept. 22, 2008.
- Pediatric eye and vision examination. St. Louis, Mo.: American Optometric Association. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=3548. Accessed Sept 22, 2008.
- Robertson DR (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 28, 2008.
