Seeing an Opthamologist

Opthamology, by definition is a branch of medicine dealing with the eye, which includes its anatomy, physiology and pathology. The Opthamologist is a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating any eye disorders that fall under these categories.

An Optometrist, conversely, is the practitioner who can examine and diagnose the eye for visual defects and impairments, and can prescribe corrective lenses and other treatments.

Opthamology vs. Optometry

The doctors of Optometry are your primary eye health care professionals. Beyond examining, diagnosing and managing visual impairments, they also manage diseases of the eye, as well as injuries and disorders to the visual system and associated structures, which may affect the eye. Optometrists can prescribe medications, vision therapies, corrective spectacles and contact lenses, and can perform some surgical procedures. They can also provide counsel for patients regarding surgical options as well.

An Opthamologist, in short, is a surgeon. They are specialists and deal specifically with surgical procedures affecting the eye and surrounding structure, as well as dealing with diseases. So in other words, you will visit an Opthamologist when you need eye surgery, such as having a cataract removed or have laser surgery performed. Everything else outside of outright surgery, you will want to see your Optometrist.

Regardless, remember how I said the Optometrists are your primary eye health care professionals? They are your ‘maintenance” doctors, and most people will see them on a regular basis and they should be your front line in counseling your vision needs and can suggest further treatment through seeing an Opthamologist.

Laser surgery is what an Opthamologist is perhaps most commonly known for performing in modern times. While this form of surgery has come a long was and has largely been perfected, there are a few options worth considering.

PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratectomy) – this is where the outside layer of the cornea is manually scraped away before the Excimer laser reshapes the tissues in the cornea. Afterwards the scraped corneal layer must grow back creating a longer recovery time and discomfort. Advantages are, there is no cornea flap created, such as with LASIK, and the risk is lowered as the eye penetration is not as deep.

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) – as mentioned above, the LASIK procedure uses a metal blade to cut a flap away before using the Excimer laser. The flap is replaced, and vision repair is immediate and painless. Some blurriness, however, may be present until full healing with a few weeks.

LASEK (Laser epithelial keratomileusis) – Essentially is an advanced form of the PRK method, the procedure uses an alchohol solution to soften and then remove the epithelium (outermost corneal layer), which is then later replaced. Healing time is increased and the use of a metal blade to cut a corneal flap is avoided.

Other advancement to the LASIK procedure have been developed including custom vue LASIK, which includes the addition of a laser guided software called Wavefront which essentially maps the optical system for more accurate results. Other forms of advanced LASIK include using a laser to cut the corneal flap, with or without the addition of the Wavefront technology.