Fort Myers Ophthalmologist
As we age, we need different doctors at different stages of life, and that includes eye care. While most of us see an optometrist every year for a vision exam and glasses or contact lens prescription, you will likely also need to see a Fort Myers ophthalmologist. Who better to turn to than the trusted doctors at Elmquist Eye Group. We give you the best of both worlds because we offer a comprehensive set of vision and eye health services.
What is an ophthalmologist?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye and vision care. We offer complete medical care for your eyes. We diagnose and treat conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, and troubleshoot eye conditions that are related to other disease you might have, such as arthritis.
We also perform surgical procedures of all types, including repair of droopy eyelids, a procedure called blepharoplasty. We also perform cataract removal and lens replacement, as well as other surgical procedures.
An ophthalmologist completes 12 years of training. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who attend medical school, followed by a one-year internship, 3-year medical residency and often a one to two-year fellowship, like our doctors do, followed by several more years of advanced training. This advanced training enables ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, more than optometrists and opticians.
By comparison, optometrists are doctors but with a doctor of optometry degree rather than a medical degree. The doctor of optometry training is a four-year program that the doctor completes after college, and some get further clinical training after the four-year program.
Opticians aid optometrists with vision-related prescriptions, but they are not physicians and therefore are not authorized or trained to provide any type of physical or eye exam. Opticians typically have a two-year professional degree.
How do I choose the best eye doctor?
If you have other health conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular issues that can affect your eyes, this is all the more reason to see a Fort Myers ophthalmologist. We can coordinate with your primary care physician or other healthcare specialist regarding management of your conditions and how those conditions affect your eye health needs.
What are your needs? Do you primarily need vision care, or do you have a disease that requires more specialized care? Think about your situation and choose the doctor or practice best suited to your individualized needs.
Ophthalmologists often obtain additional in-depth training in the form of a fellowship. Subspecialty areas include study of the retina or cornea, diseases like glaucoma, or a specialty in oculo-plastic surgery. This additional training and knowledge prepares an ophthalmologist for more complex conditions in certain groups of patients.
Consider Elmquist
At Elmquist Eye Group, our Fort Myers ophthalmologists can take care of all your needs. Our physicians and highly trained staff are ready to assist you with any eye problem you may have, through our offering of comprehensive vision and eye health services. Give us a call today. We want you to be our next new patient, no matter what your eye health needs are.