If you’ve lately gotten diagnosed with keratoconus, you’re certainly familiar with the experience of seeing several different eye physicians.
When it pertains to having your eyes tested, particularly if you have a chronic eye issue, it’s critical to make sure you’re seen by the right eye care providers or keratoconus specialist Coral Gables who can handle your individual needs, whether it’s simply receiving a new lens prescription or discussing treatment.
What is the Difference Between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist?
Optometrists (OD) are eye doctors who specialize in basic eye care, which includes everything from sight screening and correcting to illness detection, therapy, and control. They may identify eye problems in their offices or send clients to other optometrists or ophthalmologists for further examination. Individuals may be sent to an ophthalmologist after an OD makes a diagnosis to discuss surgery or medicinal options for treatment.
A physician or osteopathic practitioner who specializes in vision care and can diagnose eye disorders is known as an ophthalmologist. They can also perform procedures such as LASIK or cataract surgery, as well as less intrusive operations. Scientific studies on the reasons, treatment, and solutions for ocular diseases and vision abnormalities may also involve optometrists and ophthalmologists.
What Part Does an Optometrist Play in the Diagnosis of Keratoconus?
Optometrists can play an important role in a person’s keratoconus journey, both in terms of diagnosis and therapy. They’re frequently the first to notice if someone has keratoconus. When it comes to treating keratoconus, optometrists and ophthalmologists normally work closely together, but optometrists are the ones who fit clients with prescription lenses and eyeglasses, including during procedures like corneal cross-linking. Optometrists also maintain a large referral network, so if they detect or confirm keratoconus or see anomalies in a patient’s cornea, they can refer them to a nearby ophthalmologist.
All optometrists undertake corrective lens fitting instructions as part of their education. However, some also go on to be contact lens experts, which allows them to fit their patients with more specialized or difficult specialty lens designs including scleral lenses and Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses.
If an optometrist finds that a person’s cornea is unevenly formed, they can schedule additional screenings or recommend the patient for more testing. Those with keratoconus are frequently mistreated and then prescribed an improved medication that allows them to see better; nevertheless, the keratoconus generally continues to develop since the underlying condition is not treated with cross-linking. If an optometrist detects or confirms keratoconus, they could be the first person to tell you about the disease’s progression and possible treatments. Optometrists must frequently campaign for their progressive keratoconus clients and refer them to an ophthalmologist who performs iLink® FDA-approved cross-linking.
ODs are Contact Lens Experts!
If you wear glasses to enhance your eyesight or need to be fitted for a fresh set after having FDA-approved cross-linking with iLink®, contact lenses may become a typical component of your keratoconus experience. Soft contact lenses, RGPs, and scleral lenses are all examples. Optometrists are professionals in this field because they fit patients with both contact lenses and glasses.
Don’t overlook the role of optometrists in a person’s keratoconus experience! You’ve probably visited an optometrist at some point along your journey, particularly if you expect to obtain contact lenses to help enhance your eyesight. You can search for “keratoconus dr near me” to find an optometrist near you.
When the optometrist diagnoses you with keratoconus, make sure the doctor your optometrist refers you to is a specialist in managing advanced keratoconus and executing the FDA-approved iLink® cross-linking operation.
