Eye Health: Optician Services

Opticians are trained to be experts in lenses, frames and contact lenses. Once they receive a prescription from an Optometrist or  a local Ophthalmologist, they work to choose the best lens option for each individual. Opticians  and ophthalmologists do not test eye sight or write prescriptions for visual correction.

Children’s eye exams are an essential part of kids' development. Kids should have their first eye exam by the age of three, or sooner if there’s any sign of a problem. Their eyes should be examined regularly to prevent and/or treat eye diseases and vision problems.

Common Children’s Eye Conditions

Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a condition that develops during childhood. It usually affects one eye, can run in families and is best corrected in infancy or early childhood. Amblyopia can be caused by poorly aligned eyes (strabismic amblyopia), unequal refractive errors in the eyes (refractive amblyopia) or cloudiness from congenital cataracts (deprivation amblyopia). Amblyopia will not go away on its own.

Amblyopia treatment depends on the type of the condition a child has. If it’s refractive amblyopia, the optometrist or ophthalmologist will prescribe eyeglasses. Strabismic amblyopia may require surgery, followed by patching the good eye to force the brain to process information from the lazy eye. If a child has deprivation amblyopia, surgery is often necessary. Once a child’s vision improves, he or she might need to continue amblyopia treatment to maintain the desired effect.

A local ophthalmologist is a physician who specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eyes and visual system. Ophthalmologists work with patients in the prevention of eye disease and injury. In treating patients an ophthalmologist may also educate them on eye care, glasses and contact lenses, and glaucoma, oculoplastics, refractive surgery, pediatric ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology, laser eye surgery, canaloplasty, cataract surgery, corneal transplant surgery and vitreo-retinal surgery.

  Healthy eyes depend on regular visits to your optometrist for eye exams, and if necessary, an ophthalmologist for certain eye conditions and surgeries like diabetic retinopathy . You can also protect your eyesight with proper nutrition, eating foods that contain the right vitamins. Local Optometrists may prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, provide laser eye surgery consultations, and test for diseases.  Local Ophthalmologist  can help with many facts of eye diseases. Getting a referral from your optometrist to a local ophthalmologist is crucial to eye care.