What is the name of an ophthalmologist? What is the name of an eye doctor? The process of development of the eye barley


In the medical field, an ophthalmologist is a doctor who specializes in diseases of the visual apparatus. He studies the etiological factors, clinical manifestations of diseases, carries out diagnostic measures and treatment of vision problems, develops preventive programs and carries out periodic examinations. Patients are examined annually by an ophthalmologist, since dysfunction of the eye organ has a rather negative effect on the quality of life and often becomes a contraindication for a particular profession.

For many patients, it comes as a surprise that an ophthalmologist and an ophthalmologist are one and the same direction. The specialty has two names due to the use of different languages: Ancient Greek and Latin. Both pronunciations are correct, but in everyday life they use "ophthalmologist" more often, and medical workers and other close people call the doctor an ophthalmologist.

What diseases does an ophthalmologist treat?

An ophthalmologist treats primary eye lesions and secondary pathologies arising from concomitant diseases. The doctor is engaged in diagnosing the causes of the problem in order to choose the most effective treatment.

An ophthalmologist is also called an ophthalmologist and sees patients who have the following diseases:

  • conjunctivitis (inflammatory process in the mucous membrane of the eye, most often purulent);
  • cataract (decrease in the transparency of the lens or cornea);
  • glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure, which leads to a significant deterioration in vision);
  • astigmatism (irregular shape of the lens or cornea, which reduces the sharpness of vision);
  • myopia or farsightedness (improper location of the lens, weakening of its muscular apparatus, loss of elasticity, due to which near or far vision begins to fall);
  • traumatic injuries of the eye (the optometrist checks the possibility of restoring vision, which is not always possible);
  • trachoma (chronic inflammatory process in the conjunctiva);
  • allergic catarrh (conjunctivitis of seasonal origin);
  • color blindness (violation of color perception);
  • blepharitis (inflammatory lesion of the eyelids);
  • iridocyclitis (damage to the iris of an inflammatory nature);
  • swelling of the optic nerve (due to increased vascular permeability);
  • exophthalmos (with thyrotoxicosis, often not fully reversible);
  • the threat of retinal detachment in diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other diseases.

Separately, a children's oculist stands out - this is an ophthalmologist who deals with patients under 18 years of age and most often deals with visual acuity disorders, strabismus, congenital anomalies or inflammatory processes.

What symptoms should you see an ophthalmologist for?

Vision is the most important organ of perception of the surrounding world. A person receives up to 90% of information through the eyes, so this function of the body should be protected. An appeal to an ophthalmologist should be timely, therefore, as soon as suspicious signs of visual impairment appear, you need to go to the doctor.

The optometrist and ophthalmologist will help only in case of reversible changes in the eyes, otherwise the treatment will be aimed at stopping the blindness or slowing it down.

You need to go to the optometrist with the following symptoms:

  • deterioration of vision (blurring, deformation of the contours at close distances or far away);
  • violation of color perception;
  • pain in the eyes, eyelids;
  • dryness in the eyes;
  • increased tearing;
  • loss of visual fields (the ophthalmologist often explains the nature of this symptom, since patients do not understand how it is);
  • purulent discharge from the eyes;
  • the appearance of neoplasms on the eyelids;
  • sclera injections (blood soaking);
  • sensation of a foreign object in the eye;
  • dots, flies before the eyes.

Since an ophthalmologist is also called an ophthalmologist, some patients are confused and do not know where to turn with the listed symptoms. Both doctors are representatives of the same specialty, so the choice does not matter. However, patients must distinguish eye involvement from symptomatic signs, such as pain during a migraine or the appearance of flies during a period of high blood pressure. If you have any doubts about the nature of visual impairment, it is better to contact a therapist who will write a referral to the appropriate specialist.

How is an appointment with an ophthalmologist?

An eye examination by an ophthalmologist takes place in a complex and in several stages. First, the doctor talks with the patient, finding out the details of his disease, clarifying some of the nuances of everyday life and roughly determining the direction in which the diagnosis should be carried out. The outer surface of the visual apparatus is examined and visual acuity and other optical parameters are checked. When examining the inner surface, a preliminary dilation of the pupils is required., followed by the use of an apparatus for visual inspection of vessels and other structures.

At the appointment with an ophthalmologist, the following studies can be carried out:

  • examination of the upper and lower eyelids, cornea, sclera;
  • checking visual acuity, peripheral vision, pupillary response to light and their friendly movement;
  • ophthalmoscopy (examination of the fundus, its vessels and the optic nerve);
  • tonometry (clarification of intraocular pressure indicators);
  • biomicroscopy (all light-conducting and light-refracting structures are examined, the method helps to detect tumor neoplasms);
  • skiascopy (a specific diagnostic method that determines the degree of impaired visual acuity, astigmatism).

After the specialist checks the vision, it is possible to schedule consultations with related specialists, for example, a cardiologist, endocrinologist, oncologist, surgeon. Having made an accurate diagnosis, the doctor develops a treatment for the problem.. In some cases, patients are shown only corrective therapy in the form of glasses for distance or work.

There are various eye diseases for which you need to see a doctor. An eye doctor is a specialist in a separate field of medicine called ophthalmology, from the Greek words "ophthalmos" and "logos", which means the study of the eyes. Ophthalmology is a science that studies diseases of the organs of vision and develops methods for their treatment and prevention. In addition, this branch of medicine deals with issues such as the physiology and anatomy of this area.

When do you need to see a specialist?

The first examination by an eye doctor occurs almost immediately after the birth of a person. Then, throughout life, you should consult a doctor every year to check your eyesight. Regular visits to the doctor help to identify serious diseases that can develop asymptomatically. A person often does not even suspect about them, seeks help in the later stages, when the disease is difficult to treat.

It is important to visit a specialist for people who sit at the computer for a long time, have high blood sugar and suffer from high blood pressure. There are also certain groups of people for whom a doctor's consultation is needed more often. These include:

  • people using corrective optics;
  • women planning pregnancy or pregnant women;
  • elderly or mature people - after 45 years;
  • women who use hormonal medications for a long time;
  • children at different stages of their growing up, especially pupils of elementary grades.

Indications for examination


An untimely appeal to the doctor can provoke irreversible processes in the organ of vision.

There are situations when it is required that a specialist examine the organs of vision as quickly as possible. These are the following cases:

  • rapid deterioration of vision;
  • pain in the eyeball;
  • entry of a foreign body into the eye socket;
  • the appearance of "fog" before the eyes;
  • severe tearing from the eye;
  • neoplasms in the eyeball;
  • increased fear of natural and artificial lighting;
  • irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye area;
  • loss of clear contours in objects to which the gaze is directed;
  • feeling of pressure in the eye area.

It is necessary that the doctor conduct an examination and prescribe treatment for the following pathological conditions:

  • blindness;
  • glaucoma;
  • cataract;
  • retinal detachment;
  • myopia;
  • astigmatism;
  • farsightedness;
  • myopia;
  • barley;
  • thorn;
  • keratitis;
  • blepharitis, etc.

Who is the specialist?

If there are preconditions for the disease, it is recommended to visit an ophthalmologist every six months.

Vision plays one of the most important roles for knowing the world around us and ourselves. About 90% of the information that a person receives, his memory deposits and stores thanks to his eyes. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor that their condition and functioning is normal. To do this, you should regularly visit a doctor so that he conducts a preventive examination.

A doctor who examines and treats the organs of vision is called an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Both of these names are correct definitions. The task of each of these doctors is to conduct a qualified diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment for pathologies of the organs of vision. In children, a children's doctor checks their eyesight and treats diseases, and when they reach adulthood, an adult doctor.

What does a doctor do?

At the doctor's appointment, an initial examination takes place. Its stages:

  • visual acuity is determined;
  • intraocular pressure is measured;
  • the fundus is examined;
  • the coordination of vision is analyzed;
  • the inner and outer surface of the eye area is examined.

Diagnostics


Modern computer diagnostics allows you to identify any pathology at an early stage.

Primary diagnosis includes the following methods:

  • Checking visual acuity using special tables - Orlova, Golovin, Sivtsev.
  • The study of ocular refraction using methods such as refractometry and optical lenses.

When checking vision using tables, there are certain norms. If at a distance of 5 m a person can clearly see the tenth (lower) line, and he sees the rest of the lines well - visual acuity is 10% (0.1). The fewer lines he sees, the worse his eyesight. First, the doctor conducts a study on the right eye socket, then on the left. If necessary, he may ask the patient to put on a special frame into which lenses with varying degrees of magnification are inserted. This is done to find the optimal option for vision correction.

If a person sees poorly, and eye pathologies are found in him, the doctor may prescribe additional examinations. Common ophthalmic diagnostic methods are described in the table:

With pathologies of vision, as a rule, the doctor prescribes the wearing of glasses or lenses.

Since the organs of vision in children are finally formed by the age of 8-10, and the vision of newborns has a number of functional features, a pediatric ophthalmologist is engaged in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of eye diseases in children.

The treatment of eye diseases that are not amenable to conservative therapy is carried out by an ophthalmologist.

What does an ophthalmologist treat?

The field of activity of an ophthalmologist includes the treatment of pathology of the organs of vision:

  • The eyeball is a spherical formation that is part of the eye and consists of the vascular and fibrous membranes and the retina.
  • The cornea is the anterior convex transparent part of the eyeball, which is the light-refracting medium of the eye.
  • The optic nerve is the second pair of cranial nerves, through which visual stimuli are transmitted from sensitive retinal cells to the brain.
  • Eyelids - mobile skin folds that protect the eyes from damage, help clear the sclera and focus vision, and also regulate intraocular pressure.
  • The eye muscles that are responsible for turning the eyes.
  • The lacrimal apparatus is the physiological system that includes the orbital structures for tear production and drainage.
  • The conjunctiva is a thin, transparent tissue that covers the outer surface of the eye, the back of the eyelids, and produces the mucous and fluid portions of the tear fluid.
  • The eye sockets (orbits) are a paired cavity in the skull that contains the eyeball and its appendages.
  • Vessels of the eye. The main role in the blood supply to the eye is played by the ophthalmic artery (one of the main branches of the carotid artery), and the eye itself is distinguished by a rich network of blood vessels, so any violation of blood circulation in the eyeball immediately causes a violation of its function.

Treatment of certain pathologies of the optic nerve

What diseases does an ophthalmologist treat?

An ophthalmologist deals with the treatment of diseases of the visual organs and the elimination of visual impairments that are caused by the pathology of other organs and systems.

The professional activities of this specialist include:

  • elimination of visual defects (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, cataract, glaucoma);
  • treatment of pathology that causes a decrease in transparency and destruction of the fibers of the vitreous body;
  • treatment and prevention of hereditary and age-related changes in the retina;
  • dispensary observation of patients with visual impairments;
  • treatment of increased lacrimation in allergic reactions;
  • treatment of inflammation of the eyelid, change in the cartilage of the eyelid with improper growth of eyelashes (eyelashes grow towards the eyeball);
  • treatment of eye hemorrhages that are observed in infectious diseases, etc.

Diseases of the organs of vision

The diseases of the visual organs treated by the ophthalmologist include:

  • Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye of an infectious or allergic nature. It occurs in acute or chronic form, manifested by itching, swelling and redness of the eyelids and conjunctiva, lacrimation, photophobia and redness of the white of the eye. At the initial stage of the disease, the lesion often affects only one eye, pain is felt in the corner of the eye. With viral conjunctivitis, there is a purulent discharge, the bacterial form is characterized by dryness in the eyes, and when affected by toxic substances, there is pain when moving the gaze and there is no itching.
  • Trachoma. This chronic infectious eye disease, which is caused by chlamydia, is characterized by damage to the conjunctiva and cornea. The disease causes scarring of the cartilage of the eyelids and conjunctiva, if left untreated, leads to complete blindness.
  • Barley, which is an acute purulent inflammation of the sebaceous gland of Zeiss or the hair follicle of the eyelash (with internal barley, the lobule of the meibomian gland becomes inflamed). It is manifested by swelling of the edge of the eyelid, redness and soreness. It develops with a bacterial infection and a weakened immune system.
  • Nearsightedness (myopia). With this visual defect, the image is formed not on the retina (normal), but in front of the retina. It can be a genetically determined disease (an elongated shape of the eyeball) or develop with a spasm of accommodation, a change in the shape of the cornea, a displacement of the lens during trauma or sclerosis of the lens in old age. With this pathology, a person sees objects well near, and poorly - what is located far away.
  • Farsightedness (hypermetropia). With this defect of vision, images of objects are formed behind the retina at rest of accommodation. The disease develops with a reduced size of the eyeball on the anterior-posterior axis or with a decrease in the ability of the lens to change curvature (senile changes, presbyopia). With farsightedness, people can't see both near and far (in presbyopia, people can see well in the distance), and may experience headaches when working near.
  • A cataract, which is a partial or complete clouding of the lens of the eye, the natural lens that refracts light rays. The disease causes visual disturbances of varying degrees up to its loss. It is accompanied by a decrease in visual acuity, a change in the color of the pupil (becomes bright), a deterioration in color perception, intolerance to bright light with a simultaneous decrease in vision in the dark, the appearance of spots, halos, strokes and rapid eye fatigue.
  • Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by constant or intermittently elevated intraocular pressure. It is accompanied by a decrease in visual acuity, the development of typical visual field defects and atrophy of the optic nerve. This irreversible disease is often asymptomatic, leading to blindness if left untreated.
  • Color blindness is a hereditary or acquired feature of vision in which the ability to distinguish colors is reduced or absent.
  • Blepharitis is a group of eye diseases characterized by chronic inflammation of the eyelid margins. It develops in chronic infectious and allergic diseases, anemia, viral diseases, etc. It is difficult to treat, accompanied by swelling and redness of the eyelids, cracks in the eyelids and the release of a cloudy liquid from the cracks.
  • Blindness is a complete or partial loss of vision that develops for a variety of reasons.
  • Injuries of the organs of vision (contusion, wounds, burns, frostbite).

In addition, the ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats:

  • hemophthalmos - hemorrhage into the vitreous body;
  • amblyopia ("lazy eye");
  • nystagmus - involuntary eye movements of an oscillatory nature;
  • leukoma - a thorn that develops as a result of inflammation;
  • strabismus;
  • spring catarrh (seasonal exacerbation of conjunctivitis).

Visual pathologies caused by other diseases

Visual impairments that an ophthalmologist deals with are observed when:

  • Hypertension is a persistent increase in blood pressure, which leads to damage to the blood vessels of the retina. Damage to the vessels of the eye leads to the development of hypertensive retinopathy, in which “flies” appear before the eyes, objects blur and vision decreases (especially at night). A red veil may be present, swelling of the optic nerve head and retinal detachment are possible.
  • pathology during pregnancy. Manifested by increased eye fatigue, irritation, dryness, decreased vision and partial visual dysfunction. A normal pregnancy may be accompanied by angiospasm and hyperemia of the optic nerve head without visual impairment. Early toxicosis may be accompanied by early retinal angiopathy, and with late toxicosis, retinal edema and detachment are possible.
  • Connective tissue diseases (visual impairments accompany systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis, etc.). There are various lesions of all the membranes of the eye and its contents, as well as lesions of the protective and adnexal apparatus of the eye.
  • Kidney disorders. Chronic glomerulonephritis is often accompanied by changes in the vessels of the retina. With a long course of the disease, renal retinopathy develops, in which there is a narrowing of the retinal vessels and their sclerosis, as well as retinal edema. In the macular region, multiple small foci are revealed, which form the figure of a star. Complications of renal retinopathy are hemorrhages and retinal detachment.
  • diabetes mellitus. The disease is accompanied by microinfarcts in the retina (similar to cotton-wool spots) and the formation of new blood vessels in ischemic areas. New vessels are defective, therefore they are easily torn and cause repeated hemorrhages in the retina and vitreous body, which leads to a decrease in vision. Due to the formation of scars, retinal detachment occurs, increased intraocular pressure, the development of diabetic neovascular glaucoma, blindness and severe pain syndrome are observed.
  • Diseases of the thyroid gland, which are accompanied by unilateral or bilateral exophthalmos (displacement of the eyeball forward).
  • anemia. The fundus of the eye acquires a paler shade, plasmorrhagia and hemorrhages form in the retina, exudative retinal detachment is detected, and exudation in the form of a star is present in the macular region.

With brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, meningitis and encephalitis, changes in the field of vision are detected, the functions of the oculomotor nerves are disturbed, optic neuritis, paresis and paralysis of the oculomotor nerves are possible.

Visual disturbances can also be observed in diseases of the ear, throat, nose and mouth.

Children's ophthalmologist

A pediatric ophthalmologist is a doctor who diagnoses, treats and prevents eye diseases in children under 18 years of age.

Scheduled inspections

Since eye diseases detected at an early stage are easier to correct, a pediatric ophthalmologist regularly conducts a routine examination.

The first examination of the organs of vision is carried out in the hospital. In the absence of a pronounced pathology in full-term children, scheduled visits to an ophthalmologist are carried out:

  • At 1-2 months. At this age, the doctor, during examination, excludes the presence of gross congenital pathologies - congenital glaucoma, congenital cataract, malignant tumor of the retina (retinoblastoma), gross changes in the optical media of the eye and in the fundus.
  • At 6 months. At this age, the doctor conducts the first determination of refraction (the refraction of the light beam, which is necessary to focus the image on the retina). Children in most cases are born with farsightedness of +3 diopters, but as they grow, the degree of farsightedness should decrease and reach the norm by 6-7 years. At the age of six months, an ophthalmologist can detect a high degree of farsightedness or astigmatism, which prevent the visual apparatus from developing normally, as well as diagnose strabismus.
  • In year. At this age, an ophthalmologist will more accurately determine the refraction of the child's eyes, reveal astigmatism, a high degree of farsightedness and congenital myopia (normally, in one-year-old children, farsightedness is about 2 diopters).

In the absence of congenital disorders and diseases, an oculist examines children once a year up to 7 years. If any pathology is detected, the visit schedule is compiled by the doctor on an individual basis.

Since premature babies have an increased risk of developing retinopathy (damage to the vessels of the eye, leading to retinal dystrophy, optic nerve atrophy and blindness), an eye examination in the absence of pathology is carried out every 2 weeks until the age of three to five months is reached.

Diseases treated by a pediatric ophthalmologist

A pediatric ophthalmologist treats:

  • strabismus;
  • cataracts;
  • myopia (myopia);
  • farsightedness (hypermetropia);
  • glaucoma;
  • astigmatism;
  • spasm of accommodation;
  • accommodative asthenopia;
  • congenital anomalies in the structure of the visual apparatus;
  • obstruction of the lacrimal canal.

Quite often, one eye of a child sees normally, and the other one sees poorly, and the whole load falls on the healthy eye. Without appropriate vision correction, this leads to the development of strabismus and other pathologies.

A pediatric oculist also treats inflammatory and infectious eye diseases in children:

  • barley;
  • conjunctivitis;
  • blepharitis;
  • iridocyclitis.

A pediatric ophthalmologist deals with mechanical damage to the organs of vision.

When to See a Doctor

The child must be shown to the ophthalmologist if there are:

  • complaints of pain in the eyes (the child complains that sand has got into his eyes);
  • obvious strabismus;
  • redness of the eyelid or white of the eye, swelling of the eyelids, itching;
  • complaints of fuzzy, blurry vision;
  • decreased visual acuity (the child, looking at something, squints);
  • complaints of pain in the eyes in bright light;
  • the constant presence of tear fluid in the eye or involuntary lacrimation;
  • "", "" or rainbow circles before the eyes;
  • barley on the eyelid, discharge from the corners of the eyes, etc.

The child should be shown to the ophthalmologist if there is an incomplete closure of the eye or the reflex movement of the gaze behind objects that are at a distance of about 20 cm from the child's face has disappeared.

In childhood, many visual impairments can be eliminated, so a timely visit to an ophthalmologist helps to avoid irreparable vision problems.

An ophthalmologist is a doctor who deals with the surgical treatment of eye pathologies that are not amenable to conservative treatment.

The scope of this specialist includes:

  • preparation and conduct of eye surgery, as well as rehabilitation after surgery;
  • emergency care for acute disorders and pathologies of the visual organs (eye injuries, corneal burns, retinal detachment).

An ophthalmologist treats:

  • severe myopia and farsightedness;
  • astigmatism;
  • cataract;
  • glaucoma;
  • strabismus;
  • dystrophy and retinal detachment;
  • clouding of the vitreous body;
  • atrophy of the optic nerve;
  • congenital and children's cataract;
  • keratitis (inflammation of the cornea of ​​the eye);
  • scleritis (inflammation of the thickness of the sclera of the eye);
  • episcleritis (benign inflammation of the connective tissue of the eye);
  • accommodative asthenopia (eye fatigue);
  • iridocyclitis (inflammation of the iris and ciliary body);
  • barley.

In addition, an ophthalmologist is involved in:

  • removal of foreign bodies and calcifications from the eye;
  • elimination of inversion of the eyelids and cicatricial deformity of the eyelids;
  • removal of neoplasms on the eyelids;
  • elimination of trichiasis (abnormal growth of eyelashes towards the eyeball);
  • removal of a chalazion, a slowly developing tumor that occurs when the sebaceous gland of the eyelid (meibomian gland) is blocked and swollen;
  • opening of the lacrimal tubules when a fungus penetrates into them;
  • reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery of the eyelid.

An ophthalmic surgeon is also consulted in the treatment of dacryocystitis in newborns.

Eye surgeries are performed in the department of microsurgery, but with laser vision correction, outpatient treatment is possible.

When to see an ophthalmologist

The organs of vision are regularly exposed to many factors that can cause visual impairment, therefore, even in the absence of subjective complaints, ophthalmologists recommend a preventive examination once a year.

People over 40 years old are recommended to visit an ophthalmologist for preventive examinations every 6 months due to age-related changes in vision.

You should make an appointment with an ophthalmologist if you experience:

  • dry eyes, a feeling of the presence of sand in the eyes;
  • discomfort or pain when trying to look at the light (photophobia or photophobia);
  • cataract;
  • itching, burning sensation or pain in the eyes;
  • increased or involuntary lacrimation;
  • redness of the eyelids or eyes;
  • blurred vision;
  • vagueness of objects when trying to examine them;
  • sensation of a foreign object in the eye;
  • blurred vision.

Regular visits to the ophthalmologist should:

  • patients who use glasses or contact lenses;
  • people with a hereditary predisposition to eye diseases;
  • people working at the computer;
  • patients who have been taking hormonal drugs for a long time;
  • pregnant, planning pregnancy and lactating women;
  • patients with a history of trauma or inflammatory eye disease;
  • people who suffer from diabetes or hypertension.

How to prepare for an appointment

Before visiting an ophthalmologist, you must:

  • remember all the complaints and clarify what kind of eye diseases the relatives suffered from;
  • do not use eye makeup before taking;
  • bring a medical history if the patient was seen by other specialists;
  • do not wear contact lenses on the day of the appointment (at least an hour before the appointment, the lenses must be replaced with glasses).

Before the appointment, children should be explained the essence of the examination, since it is almost impossible to examine the eyes of a crying child.

Stages of consultation

During the initial appointment, the ophthalmologist:

  • examines the history and complaints of the patient, clarifies the presence of a family tendency to eye diseases;
  • checks visual acuity using tables (usually the Sivtsev or Golovin table is used);
  • conducts an eye examination visually, by palpation and with the help of a slit lamp (biomicroscope);
  • performs an examination of the fundus (ophthalmoscopy).

If deviations are identified, additional examinations are carried out.

A comprehensive examination, which allows obtaining comprehensive information about the patient's vision, lasts about an hour.

If a pathology is detected, the doctor selects a method of treatment or a suitable method of vision correction.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the organs of vision includes:

  • examination of the outer surface of the eye;
  • checking peripheral vision;
  • examination of the eyelids, which allows to identify violations visible to the naked eye (redness, discharge, etc.);
  • checking the reaction of pupils to light;
  • assessment of the condition of the eyeball and cornea;
  • examination of the inner surface of the eye using a biomicroscope.

Visual coordination is assessed using a simple diagnostic procedure - the patient must follow the beam of light with his eyes, and the ophthalmologist observes the process and determines whether the eye muscles are working normally.

If necessary, carry out:

  • tonometry, which allows you to measure intraocular pressure;
  • tonography - a type of tonometry, which, due to a longer scanning period, helps to examine the eye for the presence of glaucoma;
  • study of color perception using polychromatic tables, which eliminates color blindness;
  • determination of refraction using a set of trial lenses (in young children, refraction is determined after instillation of drops that dilate the pupils);
  • keratotopography - a non-invasive method that allows you to determine the optical parameters of the anterior surface of the cornea;
  • pachymetry - a contact method by which the thickness of the cornea is determined in its various areas;
  • examination of the fundus with a dilated pupil - this allows you to examine in detail the retina and choroid at the extreme periphery of the eye (in hard-to-reach parts);
  • perimetry, which allows you to determine the boundaries of the field of view;
  • iridology for examination of the iris of the eye.

To diagnose the retina of the eye, you can use:

  • Ultrasound diagnostics.
  • Fluorescein angiography to study the vessels of the fundus. During the examination, a special dye is injected into the cubital vein, which spreads throughout the body with the bloodstream and is excreted unchanged. The dye enters the eyes with blood flow 9-10 seconds after injection. At this moment, the device for photographing the fundus (retinofot) takes a series of pictures.
  • Optical coherence tomography is a method in which the probing of biological tissue is carried out using optical radiation in the near infrared range (reminiscent of ultrasound).

To determine the refraction of the eye, autorefractokeratometry is also carried out - a non-contact method for automatically determining the refractive error of the eye. During the procedure, the patient observes the image, and the autorefractokeratometer emits an infrared beam that passes through the pupil and reflects from the retina. Sensors in the electronic unit register images as they enter and exit the eye, and a computer program analyzes the parameters and provides refractivity values.

In addition to specific types of examinations performed by an ophthalmologist, ultrasound dopplerography of the head, general and biochemical blood tests, as well as other tests that detect infectious or inflammatory processes in the body may also be prescribed.

Treatment Methods

Methods of treatment of diseases of the organs of vision depend on the type of disease and the severity of the pathology.

Ophthalmologists can apply:

  • Conservative treatments that can be local and general. With local treatment, eye ointments, drops and injections of drugs into the tissues surrounding the eyeball are prescribed, and the general treatment includes the use of tablets, intramuscular and intravenous injections.
  • Hardware methods of treatment. They are used for postoperative rehabilitation or in the treatment of diseases that are caused by optical dysfunction and heavy loads. The most effective hardware techniques in the treatment of childhood eye diseases, which are associated with impaired coordination of the muscles of the visual apparatus.
  • Surgical methods of treatment (laser correction, etc.).

For the surgical treatment of myopia and hyperopia use:

  • laser vision correction;
  • refractive lens replacement (lensectomy);
  • phakic lens implantation;
  • keratoplasty (corneal plastic surgery).

Currently, ophthalmologists use a number of modern methods to treat eye pathology:

  • Laser therapy to correct severe myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
  • Photostimulation, in which light impulses act on the retina and optic nerve. The method is effective in the treatment of amblyopia, myopia and hyperopia.
  • Color therapy, which is effective for visual fatigue, strabismus and myopia. Light waves of different lengths (green, purple, red and blue) when exposed to the retina stimulate its sensitivity and help restore visual acuity.
  • Magnetotherapy, which dilates retinal vessels, reduces intraocular pressure and accelerates regeneration processes. This method helps to eliminate amblyopia in children.
  • Electrical stimulation of the optic nerve, which is used to treat amblyopia, myopia and strabismus.
  • Video computer vision correction. This special training course for the muscles of the eye and retina is used for amblyopia, farsightedness and strabismus.

According to the indications, related specialists are involved in the treatment (,).

An eye doctor specializes in ophthalmology (from the Greek "ophthalmos" - eye and "logos" - teaching) - a field of medicine that deals with the physiology and anatomy of the eye, as well as diseases of this organ, their prevention and treatment methods. Accordingly, an eye doctor is called an ophthalmologist.

Note! "Before you start reading the article, find out how Albina Gurieva was able to overcome vision problems using ...

Ophthalmologist or optometrist

Where did the word oculist come from in Russian then? There are many opinions among people regarding the activities of an ophthalmologist and ophthalmologist:

  • Some believe that an ophthalmologist is a doctor who treats and prevents eye diseases in a clinic, and an ophthalmologist is in a hospital.
  • Others think that the ophthalmologist is the operating doctor, and the oculist carries out treatment in other ways.

In fact, these words are complete synonyms. The fact is that “oculist” is a derivative of the Latin “oculus”, and “ophthalmologist” is from the Greek “ophthalmos” (both of which are translated as eye). It follows that both names are rooted in the same word, only one came to us from Greek, and the other from Latin.

If we turn to medical records, we will find out that it was oculists who worked in medical institutions several decades ago. But later, the post of ophthalmologist was abolished, and a general specialty, an ophthalmologist, was introduced instead. However, the usual word ophthalmologist has not gone away from everyday life and is still used today.

Eyesight check

You can check your vision with an ophthalmologist by visiting a local clinic or a paid ophthalmological hospital.

Diagnosis usually includes the following:

  • checking visual acuity using special tables (for example, Sivtseva, Golovin, Orlova);
  • study of eye refraction using optical lenses and refractometry.

Golovin Sivtseva Orlova (children)

Be sure to read the article about that on our website.

When should you see an ophthalmologist?

An eye doctor should be contacted in the following cases:

  • with visual impairment;
  • when it appeared;
  • when feeling;
  • if the eyes react sharply to light;
  • when the image is perceived fuzzy;
  • if appeared

  • pregnant women;
  • children of different ages (the first examination by an ophthalmologist is carried out at the age of two months);
  • people over 40;
  • patients with diabetes;
  • people who wear glasses (contact lenses);
  • patients who underwent eye surgery;
  • those who suffer from hypertension.

However, even those who do not have any complaints should visit a specialist for preventive purposes. Periodic examinations by a qualified specialist can prevent major diseases. And in case of their occurrence, it will allow prescribing treatment on time.

What does an ophthalmologist do?

The work of an ophthalmologist is to conduct primary examinations, during which visual acuity, intraocular pressure, corneal thickness are determined, and the retina is examined. Based on the results of the survey, recommendations are made (if necessary).

Also, the scope of the specialist includes the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, such as.

Many are interested in the name of an eye doctor. The name of this profession is ophthalmologist. It is very easy to remember this. What is ophthalmology? It is a branch of clinical medicine that studies the causes, origins and symptoms of eye diseases. Ophthalmology also offers new methods for their diagnosis, therapy and prevention.

This branch has two branches. The first is children's ophthalmology, which studies the age-related features of the appearance and function of the eyes in babies, the development and course of various pathologies in them. The second is neuro-ophthalmology, which studies the affinity of defects in the central nervous system and all kinds of elements. The importance of this industry is very great, so it's a shame not to know the name of an eye doctor.

The invaluable value of vision

Everyone understands that the most important source of information about the surrounding reality for an individual is precisely vision. It is so important that many cannot imagine life without it. Vision allows us to contemplate the surrounding space in all its splendor: evaluate the shape of things, their distance from people, shade and a whole list of other properties. An ophthalmologist is a person who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eye ailments, as well as swelling and eyelids. His work is not easy. Crowds of people every day forced to take an ophthalmologist. What this doctor treats is known to all people who are faced with visual defects.

The most common diseases that a representative of this profession deals with are barley, excessive release of tears, keratitis, glaucoma, blindness, thorns, blepharitis.

Other common ailments include nearsightedness, cataracts, and farsightedness.

The most common types of diagnostics carried out by an ophthalmologist

What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an ophthalmologist?

Many call it speaks of their illiteracy. An ophthalmologist differs from an ophthalmologist in that he is also a surgeon who performs operations aimed at correcting visual defects and treating eye ailments. You need to remember this once and for all. In addition, the place of work of such a specialist is often optics. An ophthalmologist checks the eyesight of people ordering glasses.

Why do many people need to consult an ophthalmologist?

Research results show that at present a huge number of people need to consult this doctor. The terrible environmental situation, constant stress, poor lighting, long work at the PC and many other factors contribute to reduced vision and the occurrence of eye ailments. To prevent such problems from ruining your life, remember to regularly visit an ophthalmologist. Not surprisingly, many already know the name of an eye doctor.

Pediatric ophthalmologist

Are there any toddlers or elementary school students among your relatives?

If yes, then it is necessary to go with them from time to time to a pediatric ophthalmologist. Taking care of your baby's eyes will ensure a happy future for him. Someday he will surely thank you for it.

A pediatric ophthalmologist evaluates the condition of the eyes and their functions in babies. Many pathologies that haunt adults appear at an early age, quite often the cause of ailments is rooted in childhood, and sometimes even in the womb. Parents often come to an ophthalmologist to find out if their baby's eyes are normal, and also to understand what certain symptoms may indicate. However, some of these issues may well be resolved without resorting to the help of a doctor. To do this, you need to know at least the most basic information about the function and the baby, notice its non-standard external signs, color changes, etc. But in most cases, you still need to visit an ophthalmologist. This applies mainly to damage to the eye and ailments of its bottom. In such situations, you should hurry to see a doctor. So the child will learn the name of the eye doctor.

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