Best Eye Doctor for Cataract Surgery
What are the steps involved in finding the best eye doctor for cataract surgery? When you have a cataract, you may not immediately need surgery if your vision is not impaired. As cataracts progress, many patients describe their vision as if they are looking through a waterfall. If your vision has degraded to this point, it is time to find a surgeon near you. It is not a decision to be taken lightly. In fact, choosing an eye doctor for your cataract surgery is one of the most important health decisions you will make. Rest assured, you will find everything you need at Elmquist Eye Group.
How should I start?
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in eye care. These doctors are trained to perform eye surgeries. They have an extensive medical education, including four years of college, followed by four years of medical school or four years at an osteopathic medical school earning a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (DO). After that, these doctors spend four years specializing in ophthalmology by doing an internship and a three-year residency in a hospital setting.
How do I choose the doctor I need?
Talk with your regular eye doctor. He or she might also be trained as a surgeon and therefore may be able to perform the surgery. If not, your doctor will recommend another surgeon depending on your specific needs. Many eye doctors in the Fort Myers area recommend their patients to Elmquist Eye Group as a result of our trusted reputation.
Some of your family and friends have also likely had cataract surgery, so ask them as well. If they had a successful surgery and a positive post-surgery experience, they will most likely highly recommend their surgeon to you.
Online resources like the American Academy of Ophthalmology website are very useful too. This site has lots of information and a useful Find an Ophthalmologist tool.
Meeting the Surgeon
Once you find a surgeon you think you will like, make an appointment for an initial consultation. Ask questions. Become informed. Just because you have one visit does not mean you are obligated to have the surgery with that surgeon. Make sure you are treated politely and that you are comfortable with the doctor and his or her office staff. It’s important. Make sure they provided you enough information about both the benefits as well as the surgical risks, and make sure they took the time to answer all your questions. You need to leave that initial meeting with a good feeling.
No ophthalmologist should ever guarantee that you will have perfect vision after the cataract surgery. Some patients still need eyeglasses after the surgery to correct vision, while others may need a follow-up (enhancement) surgery.
Come Visit Us
You definitely deserve the best eye doctor for cataract surgery, and that is definitely Elmquist Eye Group for your cataract treatment. Our cataract specialists in Fort Myers are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, offering patients the latest advancements in eye care. It’s easy to schedule an appointment with us. Rest assured, we are confident in the ability of our cataract doctors to provide you with outstanding eye care.