Optometrist vs. Pediatric Opthalmologist

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children

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amother

Brown

Tue, Aug 09 2016, 3:20 pm

My 6 year old daughter failed her vision screening in school back in March. I took her to an optometrist who said her vision was borderline (20/40) and didn't want to prescribe glasses just yet. He said he wanted to check her vision again in 6 months, which is coming up in September. My mother has been urging me to take my daughter to a pediatric opthalmologist instead. Is there any reason to go to an opthalmologist instead of the optometrist? I find the optometrist/opthalmologist thing a little confusing.Thanks

5*Mom

Tue, Aug 09 2016, 3:24 pm

Yes! Pediatric ophthalmologists have specialized training that an optometrist doesn't and you don't want to miss something in a child.

cnc

Tue, Aug 09 2016, 3:25 pm

Yes. An ophthalmologist is an MD.
An optometrist is primarily trained to evaluate vision.

An ophthalmologist can see if there are any eye medical problems .

I only use ophthalmologists.

amother

Magenta

Tue, Aug 09 2016, 5:44 pm

I have a 6 year old with glasses and I've been to both. I started with an opthalmologist because her eye starting turning in suddenly so our doctor knew we might need surgery. She ended up getting surgery 2x We got a second opinion from optometrists before we did it though. Personally I trust optoMETRISTS more for prescription and stuff since they also do vision training and after the surgeries I switched to an optometrist. It doesn't hurt to go to an opthalmologist for a second opinion.

mha3484

Tue, Aug 09 2016, 5:50 pm

Omg this me! ha. I took 5 1/2 year old DS last spring to a general opthamolgist who sees all ages and he as also border line for glasses. We are going in October to see a peds specialist at the local children's hospital but I believe she is an optometrist. The other Doctor did not find any deformities of the eye or disease so this works for me. Had he never seen an eye dr before I would use an MD. I decided it was good to get all opinions and the cost was the same and the hours were actually better for me.

When my one year old failed the in office screening at his well visit we went to a ped opthamolgist as well.

ruchelbuckle

Tue, Aug 09 2016, 6:47 pm

I think for a lot of kids (depending on the particular issue) an optometrist can be fine. However, it never hurts to get a second opinion. I don't Know where you live, but in my city, ped ophthalmologists are hard to get into--- the secretaries really guard their time and you kind of have to "prove" that you need a opthamologist vs. an optometrist.
Due to a number of eye issues--- I only see an opthamologist. Once one of them told me that In general, the tools/tests used by an opthamologist are usually more accurate. For example, optometrists will usually use an air puff test, but an opthamologist won't.

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