Optician or doctor

[york310]

Often when questions are asked about eye conditiond the advice has been got to your doctor. Doctors have a short period of training about the eye whereas opticians/optometrists are specifically trained to investigate eye related problems. Why choose doctors over opticians?

[alijangra]

Opticians and optometrists are involved with ensuring your sight is satisfactory. Opthalmologists (doctors) specialise in diseases and disorders of the eye. Your GP would be your first contact and will refer you to an opthalmologist if necessary.

[york310]

Opticians/optometrists are trained in the diagnosis and management of ocular diseases. They are not just there to record vision. All optometrists ahve the essential equiptment on hand to aid the diagnosis of eye disease where as most GP's do not. All routine examinations include an internal and external health check of the eyes which can not only check for eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma but also see systemic diseases such as thyoid problems, diabetes, hypertension and raised cholesterol. Anyone who has any concerns about their eyes should make their optician their first port of call.

[Psychick]

There is also the money side of it york. Some opticians charge a lot whereas an appointment is free with your doctor. A doctor will take a look and will soon recommend a trip to the optician if there is nothing he/she can do or see.

[beryllium]

I certainly would not have gone to an optician when my sight went.
Nor did a GP help.
I went to the eye unit at the hospital.

They were brilliant!!!

[alijangra]

I do apologise, Im obviously mistaken about what opticians do but I know exactly what opthalmologists do and I still maintain they are more qualified than opticians as they perform eye surgery and actually treat disorders as opposed to simply diagnosing them. I used to do retinal screening of diabetic patients and could potentially have diagnosed any problems, doesnt make me more qualified than a doctor.

[york310]

doing retinal screening is just taking a photo and then forwarding this photo to the ophthalmologist. You have no medical knowledge whatsoever and no medical training. to compare yourself to a doctor or an optometrist is ridiculous. you are the monkey for the organ grinder

[specs]

chances are you will not be able to see your gp on that day anyway, you may be waiting days for an appointment. for this reason alone an optometrist should be your 1st port of call. after which he can judge how quickly you need to be seen and by which specialist- neurologist, ophthalmologist....
A "general " practitioner is just that, some one who knows little bits about alot of things, they cant know everything.its also cheaper for the NHS for a px to be seen by their optician, rather than the patient going upto A+E especially if there was no need