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The ophthalmologist not only issues a prescription for glasses and shows how to apply contact lenses. A specialist in the field of ophthalmology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, as well as their prevention. Read on when to see an ophthalmologist, what diseases they treat and how an ophthalmologist differs from an optometrist.

The ophthalmologistis a doctor of both adults and children. The first visit to an ophthalmologist should be made by 3-month-old children - during this first inspection, a specialist inophthalmologychecks the mobility of the baby's eyeballs and checks whether it is squinting. Visual acuity is measured in several-year-old children who, instead of reading letters from the blackboard, recognize the pictures on it. As adults - wrongly - we often forget to visit an ophthalmologist and usually visit them only when we notice a deterioration in our eyesight and want to obtain a prescription for glasses or in the case of preliminary or periodic examinations at work. However, it is worth visiting an ophthalmologist regularly, especially if we work in front of a computer. Remember that, for example, glaucoma does not cause any symptoms, there is no deterioration in eyesight, and may, if not detected early, result in blindness.

Ophthalmologist: with what symptoms should I visit him?

A visit to an ophthalmologist is recommended if you suffer from any of the following symptoms:

  • visual acuity deterioration,
  • frequent blinking,
  • frequent inflammation of the eyelids and conjunctiva,
  • squinting eyes while reading,
  • double vision,

You don't need a referral to see an ophthalmologist.

  • "scots" in front of the eyes,
  • visual field disturbances,
  • eyeball itching and burning,
  • photophobia,
  • eye redness,
  • severe pain in the eye socket,
  • headaches.

What diseases does the ophthalmologist treat?

The ophthalmologist heals:

  • conjunctivitis - conjunctivitis (bacterial, viral, herpetic, chlamydial, atopic, allergic, contact), subconjunctival hemorrhage, conjunctival pigment changes, dry eye syndrome;
  • diseases of the eyelids - eyelid tuck, roll back and droop, congenital eyelid fissure, squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelids,basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids, malignant and benign tumors of the eyelids, pigmented changes in the eyelids;
  • diseases of the lacrimal organ: inflammation of the lacrimal gland, inflammation of the tear duct, inflammation of the lacrimal sac;
  • diseases of the eyeball - endosperm, cataracts, keratitis, corneal softening, retinitis pigmentosa;
  • orbital diseases - glaucoma, phlegmon, orbital inflammation;
  • diseases of the optic nerve - inflammation of the optic nerve, binocular half-vision;
  • diagnosis of eye defects - myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia.

A strabologist is a specialist in the treatment of strabismus.

How is the visit to the ophthalmologist going?

Like many other specialists, the ophthalmologist begins by collecting the patient's medical history - asking about the ailments experienced, he alth condition, and medications taken. Then, with the help of ophthalmic charts, the patient's visual acuity is tested.

The ophthalmologist also measures the intraocular pressure of the eye and determines the positioning, seating and mobility of the eyeballs, pupils, cornea, iris, lens, fundus.

In case of doubt, the ophthalmologist orders additional tests: visual field examination, ultrasound of the eyeball, OCT - tomography of the eyeball or pachymetry - examination of the thickness of the cornea. An ophthalmologist is also a doctor who performs operations.

Worth knowing

Ophthalmologist vs optometrist

An ophthalmologist is sometimes identified with an optometrist. However, an optometrist is not a doctor, but a physics graduate with a specialization in optometry or a postgraduate in optometry. An ophotometrist is a profession of the he althcare system, whose representatives specialize in the selection of eyeglass correction and the application of contact lenses. An optometrist can refer us to an ophthalmologist if he finds it necessary.

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