Eye Doctors
Answers by
Dr. Summy To Portland Optometry
Dr. Summy To
Your neighborhood eye care and eye wear shop.
Eye Doctor Questions and Answers
1. What's the difference between an optician and an optometrist?
Opticians are trained to adjust and style frames. Some are licensed to grind prescription lenses and fit contact lenses.
Optometrists are licensed optometric physicians who obtain a four year degree from an accredited post-graduate optometry school. They are licensed not only to write eyewear prescriptions but also to diagnose and manage most eye diseases.
2. What are cataracts and who gets them?
Cataracts are a natural clouding of the lens in the eye as a result of age and sometimes environmental factors such as UV exposure. Everyone gets cataracts eventually. When vision is affected by the cataracts to a degree where doctor and patient agree treatment is
necessary, cataracts are removed surgically and the cloudy lens replaced with a clear plastic one.
3. Why do people need bifocals?
The flexibility of the lens in our eye decreases as we get older. This makes it harder for us to adjust focus from far to near. Prescribing glasses for a near distance requires a different power than glasses that would aid in distance vision. Bifocals allow two or more prescriptions to be ground into the same pair of glasses.
4. At what age should children get their eyes checked?
Assuming the pediatrician does periodic health checks of the eye and there are no gross abnormalities noticeable, such as an eye turn, it is recommended that children get their eyes checked when entering elementary school. Thorough testing of vision, muscle strength and coordination can prevent conditions such as lazy eye, eyestrain, and blurred site all which could affect the ability to learn.
5. Can scratches be buffed out of lenses?
No. Any alteration to the lens surface can result in a change in focal power of the lens and/or create distortion. The only solution for scratches is to have new lenses made.
Important: For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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