Choosing the Best Eye Doctor for Your Family

When you are young and living alone, you probably do not have to think much about your health. As well, you likely have your parents' physicians to trust with your physical well-being.

Moving on, your work and relationships finally see you have a spouse and a family. You no longer have access to your family doctors. The radical status change sees you in charge of the health care your family needs for a good quality of life—including eye care.

Finding a good eye doctor is essential to maintaining your family's eye health. A good eye doctor will meet your family's eye care needs. It is imperative to find one if anyone in your family has special eye care needs. 

Types of Eye Doctors

Not all eye doctors have the same services or qualifications, considering the varying severity of eye health issues. 
 

• Opticians

These are more like eye technicians than eye doctors. They are not qualified to perform eye tests or give eyewear prescriptions. Their specialty is in fitting eyeglasses and lenses. Usually, they work with ophthalmologists and optometrists.
 

• Optometrists

These primary care eye doctors can diagnose, manage, and treat eye conditions. Optometrists receive four years of training in eye care and two years of clinical training. They provide eyewear, advice in eye care, and visual rehabilitation. They are licensed and qualified to perform minor eye surgeries. 
 

• Ophthalmologist

Ophthalmologists are eye care professionals with extensive training and qualifications. They can handle situations that require surgical intervention. Of the three eye care professionals, they are the only ones with the title medical doctor.

Choosing an Eye Doctor

Depending on the type of eye doctor you are looking for, you can start looking for the correct one. 
 

• Referrals

One of the best ways to find a good eye doctor to meet your specific familial needs is through referrals. You can ask your friends, family, and colleagues for eye doctors they know. You can also ask your pharmacist or physician for recommendations. These medical professionals will usually know about eye specialists and doctors who are respectable. 
 

• Online Reviews

After getting several recommendations, you can check out the eye doctor online. Look at the different reviews they have from various patients. Ensure you look at other reviews to get a clear picture of their services. 
 

• Qualifications

After narrowing down your choice of eye doctors, check out their qualifications. When doing so, ensure to check for their experience. The more experience they have in their field, the better their services are. It means they can deal with various complications if they arise. 
 

• Personality

A doctor with an endearing personality and a likable character is best. This makes them more likely to know how to work with people of different personalities and ages. It is essential if you have kids and teenagers. You want them to enjoy seeing the eye doctor instead of bearing it. 
 

• Payment

Finally, you will want an eye doctor who can take your specific insurance or payment options.

For more on choosing the best eye doctor for your family, visit Atlanta Eye Group at our offices in Alpharetta, Atlanta, and Kennesaw, Georgia. Call (772) 272-9470 to book an appointment today.