Choosing an Eye Doctor

Eye Doctor or Optometrist – Knowing the Difference

An eye doctor can be either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, or even an optician to someone who isn’t clear on what eye doctors do.

An optometrist is a true “eye doctor” trained to perform eye exams, prescribe vision correction methods such as glasses, contacts or treatments, and manage your overall vision health.

An optometrist is who most people go to first for vision problems and even emergency eye care.

You can think of an ophthalmologist as an eye surgeon, or a professional who treats serious eye health problems that an optometrist has diagnosed, such as glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration.

An optician is usually found within an optometrist’s office. Their primary work is helping you select eyeglasses, contact lenses and other vision correction, and then fitting them to you and teaching you how to use them.

Prescription Glasses and Prescription Sunglasses

It’s common after an eye exam to select frames at the optometrist’s office.

They can help you select frames for how you use glasses, your fashion preference and how glasses fit your head and face shape.

If you wear glasses, consider both the selection of glasses at your eye doctor’s office, and the process of selecting eyeglass frames.

Going To an Eye Doctor Near You

It may seem minor at first, but the location of your eye doctor’s office can make a big difference.

At Breslow Eye Care, we chose office locations that are convenient for our patients – right in downtown Bexley for patients in and near downtown Columbus, and in Carroll, between Lancaster and Columbus for those driving between the two.

Sometimes our patients come back to the office to pick up their prescription glasses after they’re completed, and families with kids seem to make many trips each year to our eye doctor’s office. Finding an eye doctor near you can save a lot of time.