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Not sure I understand your question. Are you saying if you have an emergency issue with your eye do you see an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist can perform eye surgery. Because I have had vision issues and eye surgery in the past, when I retired and moved to a new state I selected an ophthalmologist for my routine yearly checkups. He monitors my eye health and in a few weeks I will be having cataract surgery. Glad that I have been going to him for 5 years and he is familiar with my eye health history - as the cataract surgery is a bit more complicated due to the surgery on my eyes 25 years ago.
If you are just in need of a new pair of glasses in a hurry an optometrist is fine.
an ophthalmologist is going to have the most training and expertise than an ER physician.
But just like you don't need a plastic surgeon to take a fish hook out of your thumb, you don't need an ophthalmologist to treat your scratched cornea or take the foreign out or your eye.
an ophthalmologist is going to have the most training and expertise than an ER physician.
But just like you don't need a plastic surgeon to take a fish hook out of your thumb, you don't need an ophthalmologist to treat your scratched cornea or take the foreign out or your eye.
You need one to do surgery on a detached retina or one of many other eye emergencies that need immediate surgical intervention. Many ERs have ophthalmologists on call/staff. The typical ER physician just does the initial triage and then the specialist comes in as needed. If you have a heart emergency and need an emergency bypass, they aren’t to have the standard hospitalist doing the surgery. They will have a cardiovascular surgeon do it. Many will probably have their own practices outside the hospital.
You need one to do surgery on a detached retina or one of many other eye emergencies that need immediate surgical intervention. Many ERs have ophthalmologists on call/staff. The typical ER physician just does the initial triage and then the specialist comes in as needed. If you have a heart emergency and need an emergency bypass, they aren’t to have the standard hospitalist doing the surgery. They will have a cardiovascular surgeon do it. Many will probably have their own practices outside the hospital.
Of course, the ER doc will notify the appropriate specialist on call for an emergency that is beyond their level of training. Nothing in my post argues otherwise.
OP asked a vague question and I gave an opinion in kind.
My PCP recently told me that eye doctors don't like being called into the ER because the ER doesn't have the specialized equipment they need, like they have in their own clinics.
Thanks for the replies. Just notice my misspelling of "ophthalmologist".
OP,
I don't know your age or previous eye health history, but, if you do already wear glasses or have had any kind of eye health issues in the past - it makes sense to select an ophthalmologist for your yearly eye exams. That way you are an established patient with an eye health history. If you have an emergency issue with your eye you can get in right a way to see your doctor.
The practice where I will be having my cataract surgery has someone on call day or night seven days a week. That way if for any reason my doctor is not available in an emergency there is another doctor in the practice to handle an emergency.
And I agree with another poster that eye emergencies are best handled at the ophthalmologist's location, because, they do have all the specialized equipment in the building and can do any necessary evaluation and surgery at their location if it is needed.
If it is is an emergency, it is probably outside the clinic's business hours. Find a hospital that has an Eye Center; not all hospitals have one, although their ERs may have ophthalmologists on call/staff.
When I went blind in one eye, I waited a few days or weeks to see an ophthalmologist and he could not do much other than sending me to the hospital to do "A" scan and "B" Scan.
I don't know your age or previous eye health history, but, if you do already wear glasses or have had any kind of eye health issues in the past - it makes sense to select an ophthalmologist for your yearly eye exams. That way you are an established patient with an eye health history. If you have an emergency issue with your eye you can get in right a way to see your doctor.
The practice where I will be having my cataract surgery has someone on call day or night seven days a week. That way if for any reason my doctor is not available in an emergency there is another doctor in the practice to handle an emergency.
And I agree with another poster that eye emergencies are best handled at the ophthalmologist's location, because, they do have all the specialized equipment in the building and can do any necessary evaluation and surgery at their location if it is needed.
Very good advice, thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by orbiter
If it is is an emergency, it is probably outside the clinic's business hours. Find a hospital that has an Eye Center; not all hospitals have one, although their ERs may have ophthalmologists on call/staff.
When I went blind in one eye, I waited a few days or weeks to see an ophthalmologist and he could not do much other than sending me to the hospital to do "A" scan and "B" Scan.
I'm so sorry to hear that! Was it an injury/trauma accident or disease?
I've been to ER a few times and always had to wait a long time, not 'emergency' place at all. And you almost never got to see a real licensed doctor, only physician's assistant or a resident, who'd go through a ton of procedures that are unnecessary, but were not competent for the real problem.
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