How to find an eye doctor near you
Unless you live in an underground bunker, it's pretty easy to find an eye care professional near you. It's important to get regular eye checkups, especially if you wear contacts. Over time, your vision can change — although not to x-ray vision levels, unfortunately, unless you're Superman — and an eye care professional can make sure the prescription you have is the right strength for your eyes.
How do I find an eye professional near me?
Unless you want to go on a scavenger hunt on a long walk around town, you can find an eye care professional in your area through less strenuous methods.
Utilizing online directories and resources
A good place to start is with your insurance company if you have vision insurance. It will tell you which providers are in your area and in your insurance network.
Another strategy is to do a quick Google search to find an eye care professional in your area.
Recommendations and reviews
As with most things, including auto repair shops and restaurants, it's a good idea to consult online reviews of eye care professionals. Just like Yelp or Google tell you about the best Thai places around, you can also find reviews of eye care offices on these websites. Health-specific review sites may offer some assistance as well.
What should you look for in these reviews? Well, it all depends on what's important to you. If it's cost, look for reviews that mention affordability. If it's contact lens care or help with astigmatism, pay attention to reviews that mention those things. If it's x-ray vision you're after… well, we get it, but you'll probably be out of luck.
Types of eye care professionals
Just like with doctors, some are more qualified to operate on lungs, while others specialize in brains. BRAAAAINS. Uh, sorry, we've been watching too much Walking Dead. Anyway, here's a quick overview of the types of eye care professionals to help you decide which one to seek out.
Optometrists vs. ophthalmologists
Whew, those words are a mouthful. You may have heard these terms used interchangeably, but they mean different things. and ophthalmologists especially want you to know there's a difference.
-
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and the only eye care professional with a medical degree, or MD. They complete many more years of medical training compared to other eye care professionals. See, we told you they hate getting confused with…
-
Optometrists, who are not medical doctors but are sometimes referred to as doctors because they hold a doctor of optometry (OD) degree.
Think of it this way: An ophthalmologist (memorize that spelling, there's a quiz later) has higher levels of training, which lets them diagnose and treat eye diseases. They can also perform eye surgery and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses. Sometimes ophthalmologists are also involved in scientific research.
Optometrists still have to go to school a bunch — 4 years of optometry school — but they're not a medical doctor. They can't perform eye surgery or treat eye diseases. But they can provide vision care, like eye exams and vision tests, and prescribe contacts and glasses.
When to visit each type of eye care professional
In general, most people visit an optometrist for vision care because they can perform all the things you'd need for basic eye care. They can give you an eye exam and fit you for glasses or contacts. Easy peasy.
But — if you have more serious vision needs, like an eye disease (looking at you, glaucoma) or sudden vision loss, you may want to schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist instead.
If you're not sure, the eye care professional office you call to schedule an appointment can also help you decide.
How to choose a good eye care professional
Credentials and experience are important to consider when choosing an eye care professional. Any optometrist or ophthalmologist listed with your health insurance company is bound to be reputable. It goes without saying to make sure they're licensed, and no eye care office is going to employ someone who isn't.
If certain specialty areas are important to you, like glaucoma treatment or pediatric eye care, definitely look for someone who might specialize in those things.
Of course, a friendly office environment is nice to have, too, especially when you're calling for an appointment. Or when you need to reschedule because your kid has another school event in May.
Ready to find the best eye care professional around?
Finding and choosing an eye care professional doesn't have to be difficult. Start with your insurance company to find someone in your network (our favorite thing about health insurance is how your teeth and eyeballs are add-ons) and check out reviews of offices in your area. Your primary care provider may also be able to recommend someone for vision care.
Whatever type of eye care professional you end up seeing, you can find the brand of contacts they prescribe here at 1-800 Contacts.
FAQs
How often should I visit an eye care professional?
If you wear contacts or glasses (and you probably do because that's why you're here, duh), you'll see an eye care professional every year or two, depending on whether or not your vision continues to change and/or your prescription expires.
What should I bring to my eye appointment?
Just your beautiful self, my friend. Maybe an insurance card and a wallet, too.
How do I know if I need to see an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
You won't know until you get there. Just kidding, but your primary care provider may be able to make a recommendation, or when you call the office to schedule an appointment, they can let you know based on your medical history or other factors.