4 Reasons You Should See An Ophthalmologist

If you wear contacts or eyeglasses, you probably visit your eye doctor for annual checkups to get your prescription updated. However, you might not know that there are other reasons to see an eye doctor. Unlike optometrists, who primarily specialize in vision correction, ophthalmologists can diagnose and treat a wide range of eye-related maladies. Here are four reasons you should see an ophthalmologist:

1. Your eyes are hurting.

It's normal to have momentary discomfort when stepping out into sunlight after being in a darkened movie theater. However, if you have eye pain that is severe or lasts longer than a few moments, that could be a sign of a deeper problem. It's important that you get evaluated by an ophthalmologist as soon as possible so they can prescribe the correct treatment for your situation. If your eye pain is due to getting a foreign substance in your eye, perform first aid by flushing your eyes out for 15 minutes and go the ER or an urgent care clinic immediately.

2. Your vision changes suddenly.

As you age, your vision will naturally change, but it's a cause for concern if your vision suddenly worsens overnight. According to WebMD, sudden onset of blurry vision could indicate diabetes. Other symptoms may include worsened night vision or seeing halos around bright lights. These could also be signs of glaucoma or cataracts, so you should make an appointment with an ophthalmologist for additional testing.

3. You need to get your contact lens or glasses prescription updated.

While ophthalmologists do specialize in diagnosing and treating eye disease, they can also perform routine vision exams. If you're seeing an ophthalmologist for another condition, you don't need to find a second eye doctor for your annual checkup. Your ophthalmologist can handle all of your vision care needs in their office.

4. You need eye surgery.

Perhaps the key reason you should see an ophthalmologist over another kind of eye doctor is because you need to have surgery on one or both of your eyes. Ophthalmologists are trained surgeons who have expertise in operating on eyes. If you need to have cataracts removed or you want to get laser eye vision correction, make an appointment with a local ophthalmologist to discuss your options. Contact a place like Idaho Eye and Laser center for more details.

These are just a few reasons that you should see an ophthalmologist. If you experience any of the symptoms or needs on this list, don't hesitate to call an ophthalmology clinic to schedule your first appointment. Your eye health is too important to neglect.

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