By 
In many cases, we don’t even notice that our vision has gone worse but there are some indications that are obvious. If you can’t see what is on the traffic sign or if you are at school and the letters on the board are blurry, it is time to visit the doctor. You can buy glasses or lenses from home but you need to have an examination to get the correct prescription.
A lot of people don’t know but there are Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Opticians that are responsible for your eye health. Delaying can only make things worse so set an appointment as soon as you notice that something is wrong. They also need to be good at their job because you don’t want to get the wrong prescription and still have blurry eyesight. Find out more here.
Table of Contents
What is Their Job?
Even if there are three types that specialize in the same thing, they are in vastly different fields. Ophthalmologists is the most common specialization you will hear when it comes to eye health and after finishing medical school, they are licensed to prescribe glasses and contacts, treat and diagnose disease and perform surgeries. The schooling is different between these types.
Optometrists have a 4-year optometry school but don’t have a medical degree. The majority of their job will include prescribing corrective lenses and performing vision tests. They won’t operate you if you have any condition. But, they screen for certain conditions and refer you to their colleague.
Opticians are in charge of lenses and assembling glasses but you won’t work with them on getting the right fit. This will be helpful when you need an eye doctor so you can know what you are looking for. You will be fine with a general optometrist if you have no serious eye condition. Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optician
Online Research
Online research has become the easiest way to gather information about any profession and who is the best. Always check locally because you don’t want to travel a lot for a 10-minute examination. Once you visit them for the first time, you will probably come again every other time because they will be introduced to your current and past state.
There are many websites that will rate these firms and a lot of people that live reviews. You will notice at the start when someone has less than 4 stars or bad reviews. You can always ask your friends and if it worked well for them, it will for you because the procedures are the same unless you have any disease.
You shouldn’t schedule an appointment for the first one that looks reputable online. Some of them might be overbooked and you can end up waiting a couple of weeks. It’s better to call a few and check when they are available and what the prices are. The prices will differ depending on the quality.
Experience and Technology
Even if the older equipment works, you would want the top-notch technology for your examination. It is more accurate and you know that they are investing in their quality and looking to improve. For an ordinary person, it will be hard to notice what is new and what is old but you can check their website and most of them will share with their clients when they have something updated. This can be the biggest difference between a good and the best because most of the examinations are done by the machine.
Experience comes with time and you can’t expect a younger doctor to know everything. They might not notice everything at the start but that is why they need new equipment. A professional won’t brag about their job, instead, they will prove that their service is the best. Never let them experiment on you because it is an indication they don’t know what the problem is.
Reputation among Other Clinics
If you transferred to a new area and you don’t know anyone, you can ask your doctor which clinic is the best according to him. Even if they are connected and they will refer someone they know, it probably a good clinic because sending you to a bad one means that they will lose your trust. If you trust your doctor, ask them for a recommendation. It can also happen that the one you visit doesn’t have all the necessary equipment for your case.
Those who can’t treat you will have a backup plan and will send you to another clinic that has the equipment. Look them up before going for the first time because they might not be the best option especially if you need surgery. If you have a more serious condition, don’t check only what you have locally. Your health should be in the first place so always look for the best option.
Comments