Frequently Asked Questions

What's an optometrist?

  • Doctors of optometry (ODs) are primary health care professionals for the eye. Optometrists examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, injuries, and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures as well as identify related systemic conditions affecting the eye.
  • Doctors of optometry prescribe medications, low vision rehabilitation, vision therapy, spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and perform certain procedures.
  • Optometrists counsel their patients regarding surgical and non-surgical options that meet their visual needs related to their occupations, avocations, and lifestyle.
  • An optometrist has completed pre-professional undergraduate education in a college or university and four years of professional education at a college of optometry, leading to the doctor of optometry (O.D.) degree.
  • Some optometrists complete an optional residency in a specific area of practice.
  • Optometrists are eye health care professionals licensed to diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the eye and visual system.

    What is LASIK and can I get it?

  • LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middle section of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced. There are other techniques and many new terms related to LASIK that you may hear about.
  • Only a trained optometrist or eye-care professional can tell you if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery.

    What is the difference between LASIK and LASEK

  • LASEK stands for Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy. LASEK is a modification of the PRK and LASIK procedures. With this technique, the exposed corneal stroma is then treated with the Excimer laser and then a special contact lens is placed on the eye for protection during a 3 to 6 day healing period. With the LASEK procedure, more of the cornea is available for reshaping than with LASIK. Consequently, this technique can be used for patients with greater refractive error or when the cornea is too thin to be treatable with LASIK.
  • As with LASIK, only a trained optometrist or eye-care professional can tell you if you are a candidate for the LASEK procedure.