Let’s See...

Let’s See…

See here. A regular visit to the eye doctor is another important step in keeping healthy, but when it comes to taking care of your vision, things can become a little fuzzy. Not all eye care is covered by health insurance. Many health plans will not pay for glasses, but most will cover medical care of eye diseases. Three kinds of professionals specialize in care of the eyes: opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists.

An optician is a professional who makes the glasses that an optometrist or ophthalmologist prescribes for a patient.

An optometrist can examine the eyes and prescribe corrective lenses. He can also treat some eye problems. An optometrist is not an M.D., but he has completed pre-med courses at a university and graduate courses at a college of optometry.

For serious eye problems, you should see an ophthalmologist, an eye professional who is an M.D. and who can perform surgery on the eye if necessary.

LIA: Hi. I’m here for my eye examination. I know I’m a little early. My appointment is at 2 p.m.

DR. SPECS: That’s fine. Is this your regular checkup, or have you been having any problems?

LIA: Well, I’m about due for my checkup, but I’m a little concerned about some headaches I’ve been having lately.

DR. SPECS: Hmm. Have you been under any extra stress at work or at home lately? That could cause some of your symptoms.

LIA: I’m always under stress! But maybe that’s all it is.

DR. SPECS: Let’s just check things out to be sure there’s no underlying problem. How about your family history? Any eye problems that you know of?

LIA: Actually, my grandmother had glaucoma, and my dad takes drops to control his eye pressure. Oh, yeah, and my mom had cataracts removed.

DR. SPECS: Well, I think it’s important to do a thorough exam. I’m going to check your vision, look at both the inside and outside of your eyes, and measure the pressure. I’ll need to dilate your pupils, so it’ll be a little while before you can drive home. And we’ll check the prescription for your glasses.

LIA: I’ll feel much better to know everything’s okay. Now that you mention it, maybe my prescription needs to be changed. Could that be causing my headaches?

DR. SPECS: Sure it could. We’ll check it out. If everything’s okay, I’ll see you back in two years for a regular checkup