An eye doctor’s primary role is to examine your eyes and provide a diagnosis for any problems or injuries. Before scheduling an appointment, you should always check a doctor’s credentials and experience.
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Your eye doctor will ask you about your medical history and any vision problems you’ve had recently. Then, they’ll perform a number of tests on your eyes. They may use drops to dilate your pupils, which gives them a better view of the inside of your eye. Your eye exam might include the following tests:
A visual acuity test, which checks how clearly you can see letters on an eye chart at various distances. Your provider will cover one eye at a time and ask you to read the letters on a Snellen chart. This test determines your prescription for glasses or contacts. It can also detect a problem called refractive error, which means your eye isn’t properly bending light as it passes through the cornea and lens. Your provider will use a device called a phoropter to try out several lenses to see which ones make the Snellen chart clearer.
An examination of the front part of your eye and ocular adnexa with a tool called a slit lamp, which has an adjustable illumination source. Your eye doctor will shine a beam of light into your eyes and look at your eyelashes, eyelid, iris, and cornea through the scope to check for scars or scratches, as well as signs of cataracts and other conditions that can damage the front of the eye.
The doctor will also examine the interior of your eyes by shining a bright light into your pupil and looking for how your pupils respond (constrict) to light. They might also move a penlight around your pupils to check how well your eyes track objects as they move. Your eye doctor will usually do this while noting if your eyes move together as a unit or if you have trouble moving your eyes independently of each other, which could indicate strabismus.
Your doctor will likely measure the pressure in your eyes, a process called tonometry, which can help spot early signs of glaucoma. They will shine a light into your eye and measure the size of your pupil to check for an abnormal response, such as a failure to constrict or widen in response to light.
Contact Lenses
There are a wide variety of contact lens types, each designed for different purposes. The type of contact lenses you wear depends on your eye condition and your wearing schedule. Some lenses are worn daily, others are worn monthly or two-weekly, and still others are worn as needed (i.e., overnight).
In addition to different sizes and shapes, contacts are also available in tints that can enhance the color of your eyes or change them completely, such as from green to blue. Special-effect lenses go even further, allowing you to look like a vampire or a cat.
All contact lenses need proper care to ensure they are healthy and comfortable to wear. Eye doctors often recommend specific regimens for cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting, and storing contact lenses. In general, it is best to use only brand-name solutions and avoid generic options, which may not have the same ingredients or sterility assurances.
Before handling your contact lenses, it is important to wash and rinse your hands thoroughly. Doing so reduces the risk of transferring harmful bacteria from your hands to the lens and eye. Additionally, it is important to dry your hands before handling the lenses to avoid transferring lint or other debris to the lens that could cause irritation upon insertion.
While glass lenses were once popular, advances in materials have made soft contact lenses the preferred choice of most wearers. Soft contact lens technology continues to evolve with new products offering improved comfort and durability. One of the biggest innovations is the introduction of silicone hydrogel lenses that allow more oxygen to reach the cornea, potentially reducing symptoms of contact lens-related dry eye. In some cases, your eye doctor might recommend a rigid contact lens. These are typically used for patients with a corneal irregularity such as astigmatism or keratoconus. They are also helpful for those who experience difficulty adjusting to the wearing of soft contact lenses. Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses are made from a material called polymethyl methacrylate or Perspex/Plexiglas. RGP lenses are designed to be both durable and oxygen-permeable, but many users need a few weeks or longer to adjust to the lenses.
Glaucoma Treatment
As the name suggests, glaucoma is a disease that causes vision loss. It usually happens because the optic nerve is damaged over time due to increased pressure inside the eye. There are several different ways to treat glaucoma. The goal is to reduce the pressure in your eye, which will slow or prevent loss of vision. Your ophthalmologist will prescribe medications for you, usually in the form of eye drops. These are typically carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, which either decrease the creation of fluid or improve its outflow, lowering eye pressure. Some doctors may also prescribe miotics, which cause the pupil to constrict, helping fluid flow out more easily. It is important to take these medications exactly as prescribed. If you forget to take your medication, it will not be as effective and can actually worsen your condition.
Regularly visiting an ophthalmologist is the best way to detect glaucoma and manage it. You will receive regular eye exams and a complete health history, which will allow your doctor to identify any issues with your vision early on. This will help you avoid vision loss from glaucoma and will also give your doctor the opportunity to catch other medical problems before they develop.
If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, your ophthalmologist will recommend a treatment plan that works for you. The plan will include medication, surgery, or both. Eye surgery is done under local anesthetic (while you are awake) or general anaesthesia (while you are asleep). The most common type of glaucoma surgery is called a trabeculectomy, which involves creating an opening in the white part of your eye (your sclera). This helps fluid drain more easily from the eye and lowers pressure. Your ophthalmologist may also recommend tube implants, which are silicone tubes that are surgically placed in the eye to facilitate fluid drainage and help regulate eye pressure.
If you are diagnosed with acute angle-closure glaucoma, which occurs much more quickly and usually is more noticeable than open-angle glaucoma, your ophthalmologist may perform laser peripheral iridotomy to lower eye pressure. This is a less invasive procedure that can be performed in the office and is especially helpful for patients who have severe pain or blurry vision.
Eye Surgery
Eye surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist, and there are many types of eye surgeries that can be performed. Each surgery is designed to treat a different eye problem or condition. Some of these procedures are elective, while others are used to treat a sight threatening condition or to help restore a person’s vision.
During cataract surgery, an incision is made and the natural lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. Other surgical procedures include glaucoma treatment, eye muscle surgery, and retinal surgeries.
After the surgery is completed, it’s important to take all prescribed medication and follow the doctor’s instructions for recovery. During this time, the eye may feel itchy or watery. It’s also common for the vision to be hazy or blurry. It is important to avoid rubbing the eyes, as this can cause problems. Your doctor may also recommend wearing a plastic shield while sleeping and staying out of hot tubs or swimming pools for 2 weeks after the procedure.
In LASIK surgery, an ophthalmologist uses a laser to change the shape of the cornea. This helps to reduce nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. During the procedure, your doctor will ask you to stare at a target light and keep your eyes still. The ophthalmologist will use a machine called a microkeratome or laser to create a paper thin flap in the cornea tissue. They will then use the laser to reshape the cornea surface, which should only take less than 30 minutes per eye.
Retinal surgery can be performed to repair a retinal tear or hole, which is often the result of diabetic retinopathy. During this type of surgery, the doctor can use a freezing probe (cryopexy) or a laser to make small scars that will fix the tear or hole and hold it in place (photocoagulation). In a procedure called scleral buckle, the surgeon wraps a band around the white part of the eye (the sclera). This creates a suction effect to help pull the retina back into place.
Some surgical procedures require general anesthesia, but this is rarely needed for eye surgery. Most patients are given sedation or a local anesthesia to prevent pain and discomfort during the surgery.