When it’s time to go to the eye doctor — whether a patient needs new eyeglass frames or an eye health exam — it’s important to choose the right eye doctor. The optometrists at Wing Eyecare in Cincinnati, OH, can do everything from providing comprehensive eye exams to treating conditions such as dry eye and glaucoma.

However, there are times patients might need to see an ophthalmologist, rather than an optometrist, such as surgery. The first thing patients need to understand is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist.

An optometrist, like all of the eye doctors at Wing Eyecare, is a doctor of optometry. They went through years of post-graduate school to learn how to diagnose and treat vision conditions. One of the biggest parts of an optometrists job is to fit and prescribe content lenses and prescription glasses. Most optometrists, including the optometrists at Wing Eyecare, can also prescribe medications to treat medical conditions including glaucoma, eye infections and dry eye syndrome.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor that specializes in eye care. They are trained to perform surgery, including Lasik and removal of cataracts. Ophthalmologists also receive specialized training to diagnose and treat serious eye conditions. Although ophthalmologists are trained to perform eye exams and prescribe corrective lenses, they often focus on disease treatment and management.

In fact many times, optometrists and ophthalmologists work together to manage and treat eye conditions. Optometrists at Wing Eyecare diagnose and provide treatment to patients’ medical problems, or they refer their patients to an ophthalmologist for special medical conditions.

Think about it in terms of a general dentist and an oral surgeon. The general dentist takes care of a patient's day-to-day dental care and oral needs, just like how the optometrists at Wing Eyecare handle day-to-day eye care and vision needs. The oral surgeon focuses on surgical procedures, such as teeth removal, just like how the ophthalmologists specializes in surgical eye care.

For most patients, an optometrist will be the best choice. For more information on the services offered by the optometrists at Wing Eyecare, visit the website or call (888) 274-9464 to book an appointment at the Cincinnati office.