Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Opticians. Who should I see?

The difference between a Doctor of Optometry (optometrist), an ophthalmologist and an optician is a common question among both healthcare professionals and the general public. The levels of training and expertise, and the core competencies, are different for each type of eye care provider.

Doctors of Optometry

When it comes to vision and eye health, the primary healthcare provider is your Doctor of Optometry. A Doctor of Optometry has completed a Bachelor of Science degree or higher, followed by a four year Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited university’s school of optometry. A Doctor of Optometry is educated, clinically trained and licensed to deliver the best standard of comprehensive primary eye care. Your Doctor of Optometry will:

• Provide an optometric eye exam to examine, assess, measure and diagnose disorders and diseases within the human eye and visual system, such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration;
• Recognize and co-manage related systemic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and brain tumors;
• Fit and dispense eyewear – including glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, safety eyewear and low-vision aids – to ensure they meet your vision and eye health needs;
• Most can prescribe medications (this varies by province – so ask your Doctor of Optometry for details);
• Remove foreign bodies from the eye;
• Provide referrals to secondary specialists, such as ophthalmologists, for treatment of systemic disease or eye surgery when necessary;
• Co-manage pre- and post-operative care for laser vision correction;
• Co-manage ocular diseases with ophthalmologists; and
• Conduct research and promote education and advancement in the visual sciences.

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists are surgeons and specialists in eye disease. They have completed a Bachelor Degree and four years of medical school at an accredited university, as well as a residency in medical and surgical care of the eyes in an accredited university hospital. They are secondary-level healthcare providers and patients usually require a referral from their Doctor of Optometry to obtain an appointment for medical or surgical treatment such as cataract surgery.

Opticians

Opticians are the third member of the eye care team. They are trained through a college program to fabricate and fit vision aids, such as glasses, based on the prescription of a Doctor of Optometry or physician. Opticians are licensed to provide spectacles, and they may also dispense contact lenses and other optical aids. They do not assess, diagnose, or treat eye conditions, nor can they check or write prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

For more information, please call us at 604.553.3900.

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Braised Chicken with Kale Recipe

Kale is often praised as a superfood and we couldn't agree more. Packed with high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, kale can help protect your eyes from UV damage and help prevent cataracts.

Braised with kale, garlic, and fire-roasted tomatoes, bone-in chicken thighs come out of the oven tender and superbly moist. Bake chicken leg quarters in a broth mixture along with kale and tomatoes for an easy one-dish dinner.

• Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 
  
• 4 chicken leg quarters, skinned 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup) 
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (16-ounce) package cut prewashed kale
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. 2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil. Sprinkle the chicken with black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place flour in a dish, and dredge chicken. Place 2 leg quarters in pan, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining 2 leg quarters. Remove from pan.
3. 3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add garlic; cook for 20 seconds. Add half of kale; cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining half of kale; cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; stir in vinegar. Serve chicken over kale mixture.

A Tour of Vision Source New Westminster!

Have you had a chance to come visit Vision Source New Westminster? Today's blog post is to provide our readers with additional information and images.

Optometrists at Vision Source New Westminster are committed to improving and managing the ocular and visual health of our patients. With enhanced attention to customer service and state-of the-art diagnostic equipment, Vision Source Optometrists are able to satisfy all of your eyecare needs. Our optometrists offer consultations as well as pre and post-operative management services for a variety of medical procedures and they work closely with the finest ophthalmologists to ensure the best quality of overall patient care. Our patients are our top priority. Optometrists at Vision Source New Westminster have special interest in family eyecare, ocular diseases, and patient education and eye health. Our optometrists have built an undeniable reputation for their thorough and compassionate approach to eyecare, catered to the individual needs of each patient, regardless of age. Not only do Vision Source New Westminster optometrists provide advanced eyecare, they are also passionate about humanitarian work, both locally and internationally. Our optometrists are happy to bring their experience and dynamic personalities to the Vision Source practice in New Westminster. At Vision Source New Westminster we offer excellence in full service eye care, including: • Comprehensive Eye Exams • Advanced Vision Care Technology • Emergency Eye Care • Pediatric and Diabetic Ocular Assessments • Glasses - Sunglasses - Contact Lenses • Experienced and Reputable Doctors of Optometry    Come in to Vision Source New Westminster to experience excellence in full service eye care. At Vision Source we offer only the highest quality products and services to our patients, and we look forward to taking care of all your eye care needs.

Take a loot at some images of the clinic!

 

Call us at 604.553.3900 to make an appointment!

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Diabetes and Your Vision

Did you know that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people under the age of 65 in the United States? Diabetes can cause a wide range of vision problems from mildly blurred vision to irreversible vision loss. Fortunately, early detection and careful monitoring can reduce the risk of vision loss due to diabetes.

Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetic Eye Disease is not a single disease, but rather, the name for a group of eye problems that can result from having Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Anyone who has diabetes has a higher risk of vision complications than someone without diabetes. The severity of diabetic eye disease is not always linked to the control of blood sugar. However, the longer someone has been diabetic, the more likely it becomes that he or she will experience vision complications.

Possible problems include:

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
High blood-sugar levels from diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in the retina—nerve tissue at the back of the eye—and result in incomplete or blurry images. This damage is called diabetic retinopathy. In the early stages, there may be few or no obvious symptoms; however, your eye doctor can detect early damage during a dilated eye exam, so annual eye exams are critical for diabetic patients.

CATARACTS
Cataracts—a clouding of the lens—typically develop in older adults, but people with diabetes tend to get cataracts at a younger age than the general population and have them progress faster than is typical in non-diabetic patients.

SCRATCH PROTECTION
Protects the lenses from everyday wear and tear. Polycarbonate, highindex and several new plastic lens materials have scratch-resistant protection.

GLAUCOMA 
Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up inside the eye. People with diabetes are 40 percent more likely to suffer from glaucoma than people without diabetes. The longer someone has had diabetes, the more likely he or she will develop glaucoma.

Don’t Wait for Symptoms

Often there are no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic eye disease, so it is important that you don't wait for symptoms to appear before having a comprehensive eye exam. However, if you suddenly see specks or spots floating in your vision, experience blurred or double vision, pain or a feeling of pressure in your eye or notice any change in your vision that lasts for more than a couple of days, you should see your eye doctor immediately.

TREATMENT

Laser surgery is the most common form of treatment for diabetic retinopathy. There are also medications that can be injected directly into the eye to shrink abnormal blood vessel growth and decrease swelling within the retina.

• Cataracts are commonly treated by surgically removing the clouded natural lens within the eye and replacing it with a clear, artificial lens. Cataract surgery is the most common vision surgery in the United States and is typically performed on an outpatient basis.
• Glaucoma treatment may consist of the use of medications delivered daily in eye drop form, or may be treated surgically through the use of a laser or other surgical procedure.

Have a Yearly Eye Exam

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year, and more often if you have been diagnosed with some form of diabetic eye disease. Early detection and treatment of diabetic eye disease will dramatically reduce your chances of sustaining permanent vision loss.

Source: http://www.visionsource.com/yourhealthyeyes/diabetes.aspx

Eye Exercise

Happy New Year! Most people know that working out once or twice a week helps tone muscles and keep the body in shape. Unfortunately no one ever stops to think about the eye having muscles - and a lot of them. It is important to exercise your eyes for the same reasons it's vital to work out. But people generally can't measure how well they focus or how well their eyes are coordinated.

Eye exercises can improve your visual skills such as reaction time tracking and eye-hand/eye-body coordination. They can also help make you more productive while reading or working at the computer - two main culprits of eye strain. The following are two exercises that can help strengthen eye coordination.

Convergence

Stand or sit in a relaxed posture. Hold a pencil at arm's length away from you and focus both eyes on that pencil. Begin to slowly move the pencil toward your face keeping your eyes fixed on it the entire way to your nose. Then move the pencil back away from your face until it reaches the starting position. If your eyes drift off the pencil begin the exercise again. For optimal effectiveness repeat this exercise ten times.

Rotations

Stand or sit in a relaxed posture. Hold a pencil in front of you about one foot away from your face. Focus both eyes on that pencil. Begin by moving the pencil to the right in an arc so that the pencil will eventually be parallel to your ear. Without moving your head keep your eyes fixed on the pencil until it's out of our field of vision. Continue focusing on the pencil as you return it to the starting position and move it to the left side. Repeat this exercise five times for each side.

(Note**: It is not uncommon for the target to become blurry as it approaches your nose. Try to keep the tip of the pencil from doubling.)

Please keep in mind that neither of these exercises will actually improve your vision or reduce your reliance on corrective lenses. In addition these exercises do not replace the necessary annual visits to your eye care practitioner which are of unparalleled importance for eye health. They are short simple movements that can help relieve strain or fatigue and contribute to the overall health of your eyes.

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