Within the United States healthcare system, optometrists function as primary eye care providers who are especially experienced in fitting contact lenses and eyeglass prescriptions while also treating and managing common eye diseases such as glaucoma and dry eye syndrome. Optometrists are also known as optometric physicians (O.D.), held to the same standard as other government regulated health care practitioners participating in Medicare. Ophthalmologists are medical eye physicians and surgeons (M.D. or D.O.) who have completed medical school, ophthalmology residency, and specialty fellowship in certain divisions of ocular surgery (example: cornea, retina, glaucoma, etc.). Opticians are eye care professionals who fit and dispense vision correcting lens prescriptions written by optometrists and ophthalmologists.
Today's optometrists manage the majority of primary eye care and medical eye care in the United States. They conduct routine comprehensive eye exams, prescribe refractive eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions, and manage many common eye diseases and conditions (example: glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye syndrome, red eye, anterior uveitis, etc.). When their patients require tertiary care and surgical management, optometrists often refer and co-manage with ophthalmology. When systemic conditions are suspect, today's optometrists will also co-manage medical cases with other medical specialties including internal medicine, emergency medicine, neurology, rheumatology, dermatology, pediatrics, oncology, and radiology.
Optometrists in the United States are licensed to treat eye diseases with:
- Oral medications such as antibiotics, antivirals, steroids, and short term narcotics.)
- Topical medications such as prescription eye drops to treat eye infections, anterior uveitis, and glaucoma.
Optometrists in the United States may also be trained in certain surgical procedures, including ocular foreign body removal, corneal epithelial debridement, removal of "lumps and bumps" around the eyes, ocular injections, and even certain laser surgeries including YAG capsulotomy, laser trabeculoplasty, and peripheral iridotomy.
The scope of practice in optometry varies state to state and is individually regulated. For example:
- In Oklahoma and Louisiana, the state optometry board also allows state-certified optometrists to perform surgeries limited to the anterior segment of the eye.
- In Kentucky, recent legislation permits Optometrists to perform a multitude of laser procedures.
Pearle Vision-Roswell
10775 U.S. Hwy 9
Roswell, GA 30076
770-998-9656
pearlevision.com
10775 U.S. Hwy 9
Roswell, GA 30076
770-998-9656
pearlevision.com
