Eye Care Providers
Medical Author:
John D. Sheppard, MD, MMSc
Medical Editor:
Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS
Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACSAndrew A. Dahl, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist. Dr. Dahl's educational background includes a BA with Honors and Distinction from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, and an MD from Cornell University, where he was selected for Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. He had an internal medical internship at the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center.
OpticiansOpticians are trained in filling prescriptions for eyeglasses and contact lenses. They may have received significant formal classroom instruction, but many receive on-the-job training. Depending on a particular state's regulations, opticians may or may not be licensed. Opticians help in determining the best eyeglass frames to suit your needs. In addition, they ensure that eyeglass frames are adequately adjusted, and if necessary, they can also repair broken eyeglass frames. In some states, opticians may be licensed to fit contact lenses. Opticians often work closely within the same practice as an optometrist or ophthalmologist, or an optician may have an independent practice. Eye Care Providers IntroductionWhen you need to visit an eye-care professional, it is important to make sure that you see the person who is most qualified to take care of any concerns or problems that you may have regarding your eyes. The three main types of eye-care professionals are ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. Ocularists and ophthalmic technicians work closely with these specialists. Your primary-care provider (PCP), internist, pediatrician, general practice physician (GP), urgent-care doctor, or emergency-room doctor can assist you with a referral to the appropriate eye-care professional. |
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What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is usually high pressure inside the eye that damages the optic nerve and can result in permanent vision loss. Not all 3 criteria (that is, high pressure inside the eye, optic nerve damage, and vision loss) are required to diagnose glaucoma; however, a diagnosis of glaucoma is certain when all 3 criteria are present.
What causes high pressure inside the eye?
High pressure inside the eye is caused by an imbalance in the production and drainage of fluid in the eye (aqueous humor). The channels that normally drain the fluid from inside the eye do not function properly or are blocked. More fluid is continually being produced but cannot be drained because of the improperly functioning or blocked drainage channels. This results in an increased amount of fluid inside the eye, thus raising the pressure.
Another way to think of high pressure inside the eye is to imagine a water balloon. The more water tha...
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