The Importance of Eye Health Services on Your General Health

July 29, 2021June 27, 2023

Among all the health problems these days, eye health issues have become prevalent. Sadly, even young patients experience eye health problems. According to the World Health Organization, about 2.2 billion people have vision impairment. What’s even worse is that 50% of them do not receive the proper eye health services they need. Common eye conditions like glaucoma, nearsightedness, far-sightedness, and cataracts are often neglected and left unchecked. By the way, if you have vision problems and you are on a tight budget, a health clinic like Health on 21 offers bulk billing, so set an appointment with your doctor right away. Don’t let your eye problem stop you from doing your daily tasks.

Importance of Eye Health Services

One of the great joys of life is seeing and appreciating all the things that your eye can see. It’s essential to have your eye health checked from time to time to ensure that you enjoy clear vision for as long as possible. Knowing supplements or natural remedies to help care for your eyes is essential, but getting the services of a specialist is the best thing you can do to ensure optimal health.

Eye doctors suggest that visiting the eye center on the appointment is a kind of preventative maintenance not only for your eyes but also for your overall health. You know what they say: “the eyes are the windows to the body.” Our eyes are the only part of our body where vessels can be examined without surgery. By inspecting the blood supply on the vessels of the eye, ophthalmologists can identify health conditions you’re not even aware of.

Conditions related to Eye Health

Some of the health conditions that your eye doctor can detect are:

cataracts
glaucoma
high cholesterol
brain tumors
liver disease
macular degeneration
blood diseases
high blood pressure

Eye Doctors for Eye Care

There are different eye doctors for other eye health services. But let us focus on the two main types of eye doctors: ophthalmologists and optometrists. They have different ways to care for their patients, and they also provide different services.

In seeking eye care providers, be sure to know who to search for. As mentioned, there are different kinds of eye specialists, and each of them plays a different role in caring for the eyes. Eye doctors have different levels of training for each practice, and their training will determine the limit of the service that they can provide for their patients.

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists focus on medical and surgical eye care practice. They have different training from optometrists and opticians. Their vision care services include diagnosis and treatments. Compared to others, ophthalmologists have extensive and advanced training for medical and surgical procedures.

Education

Overall, the ophthalmology education can be completed in 12 to 13 years. This includes a four-year college degree, internship, residency training, and fellowship. The advanced training in ophthalmology allows them to provide clinical diagnoses and treatments for a broad range of eye health conditions.

Ophthalmology Eye Health Services

Your ophthalmology doctor can provide the following services:

general eye examination
medical eye care for conditions such as chemical burns and iritis
surgery for cataracts, injury, crossed eyes, and other eye conditions
diagnosis and treatment for conditions linked to diseases such as arthritis and diabetes
plastic surgery for cosmetic purposes

An ophthalmology specialist can also prescribe eyeglass and contact lenses to correct vision impairment. Moreover, a lot of ophthalmologists are involved in essential research studies like identifying the causes of eye diseases. They also find cures for vision disorders. Since ophthalmologists are medical specialists, they can also recognize other health conditions that are not necessarily related to eye health problems. If they find out that you have an underlying health condition, they might recommend you to the right doctor for proper treatment. During your appointment, they will give you all the information you need to understand your condition.

Other Specialties

While ophthalmologists can provide the essential care for general eye health, some opt to learn more. They tend to attend a few more years of training to specialize in specific areas such as pediatrics, retina, cornea, neurology, and plastic surgery.

Optometrists

Optometrists provide primary care for eye health. Their main focus is providing regular vision care for the entire family to promote good quality of vision.

Services

Below are the standard services they offer:

vision tests and eye examinations
prescribing eyeglasses and contact lens
monitoring diseases related to eye health like diabetes
manage eye symptoms of glaucoma, dry eye, and others
eye therapy for vision improvement

Education

An optometrist will need to finish a four-year college degree before spending another four years in a professional program. After this, they will receive their degree in Doctor of Optometry.

Choosing your Eye Doctor

It’s essential to get your eyes checked by the right specialist. Frequently, seeking help from the wrong doctor might lead to misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment. But apart from knowing who to consult from, there are other factors that you need to consider.

Office

Your family doctor’s office should be near you. Make sure that the clinic is not too far from you so you can quickly attend your checkups.

Service

Is the staff reliable? Do they have a trusted website for you to check? Do they offer the correct information? Aside from providing eye care services, the clinic must also practice professionalism in all circumstances.

Recommendations

You may want to ask your family and friends if they know a reliable and professional clinic. You can also try going to Eye Laser Surgery Melbourne and ask their specialists.