Board Certified Ophthalmologist Cape Coral, FL
Board-certified ophthalmologist. You’ve heard the term, but what does it mean? The experts at Elmquist Eye Group in Cape Coral, FL explain it all below.
First, let’s discuss the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist. An optometrist is a Doctor of Optometry (OD), but not a medical doctor. An optometrist can examine eyes and prescribe glasses and contact lenses as well as certain medications, but is not trained to address all eye problems or diseases.
An ophthalmologist, on the other hand, is a medical doctor who specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of eye injuries and eye diseases. They are either medical doctors (MDs) or doctors of osteopathy (DOs). This is important because about one-third of patients do not realize there is a difference between the types of doctors.
At Elmquist Eye Group, all of our doctors are board certified so, if you are looking for a board-certified ophthalmologist, you have found the right eye care group.
Yasaira Rodriguez, MD is a licensed ophthalmologist who is Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She is also a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and specializes in premium cataract surgery, upper eyelid surgery, and in-office procedures.
Rounding out the Elmquist team are Kate Wagner, OD, managing partner, and Nina Burt, OD, who are skilled Board Certified optometrists, and an experienced group of opticians in our full-service Optical Boutique.
Why Choose a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist?
Why should you choose a doctor who is board certified? The answer is simple: in addition to basic licensing, doctors with board certification meet additional standards and do so voluntarily to get the additional expertise and training. By choosing a board-certified eye doctor, you can rest assured that our professionals at Elmquist are current on the very latest eye diseases and treatments.
Ophthalmologists go through four years of college, then graduate school and then on to medical school. After medical school graduation, we complete a four-year residency, just like any doctor who specializes in any area of medicine. During the first residency year, we are interns to learn about practicing general medicine, and then we spend the next three years training specifically in eye medicine.
Before we can practice, we take a two-part exam that takes one to two years to complete. The American Board of Ophthalmology administers the written and oral exam so that we can become board certified diplomates. While the board certification is good for 10 years, we must complete continuing education throughout that time period to maintain the board certification. As such, we are fully educated on the latest trends, techniques and technologies.
When you see that an eye doctor is a board-certified ophthalmologist like Dr. Rodriguez, you have the peace of mind that they have gone the extra mile beyond the basic requirements of their medical licenses.
At Elmquist Eye Group, our ophthalmologist is board-certified, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. So, if you are looking for a Cape Coral, FL ophthalmologist, come see us or give us a call at (239) 936-2020 for an evaluation of your eye health today.