Common Questions About Your Eyes

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor and surgeon who specializes in medical and surgical eye care. Ophthalmologists typically complete an undergraduate university degree, then medical school, then five more years of residency training. Many go on to subspecialty fellowship training.

As surgeons and medical doctors, they provide comprehensive eye exams, perform laser and surgical procedures, order laboratory and imaging tests, prescribe a broad range of medications, and work with other medical and surgical specialties.

See an ophthalmologist if you experience any of the following:

• Sudden changes in your vision, including double vision, blurry vision, wavy lines, or haloes around lights
• Loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Changes in your field of vision, including shadows, black spots, or a curtain-like shadow
• Changes in your colour vision
• Physical changes in your eyes, including crossed eyes, eye pain, redness, or discharge

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and surgeons. To see one in Alberta, you need a referral from a medical doctor or an optometrist.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor and surgeon who treats eye disease. When you need eye surgery, a complex eye examination, or treatment of a complex eye condition, you should see an ophthalmologist.

An optometrist is a primary eye care provider who helps examine, diagnose, treat and prevent eye disease, and prescribes glasses and contact lenses.

An optician is a technician trained to fit and provide glasses, contact lenses and other sight-enhancing devices.

Compare the training for each

Have a regular eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist every two to three years, depending on your age and whether you have chronic eye problems. Once you are over 50, have an eye exam every year.

Eye injuries are commonly caused by flying debris or by blunt force during sports. Wear appropriate eye protection, such as safety goggles, for any activity that puts your eyes at risk. High-risk activities include grinding metal in a workshop and playing squash.

Eye injuries range from small scratches to chemical burns and vision loss. Even if an injury seems minor, have an eye doctor assess it.

See an eye doctor immediately if you notice pain, difficulty seeing, a cut or torn eyelid, blood layered in front of the coloured part of your eye, or pupils of unusual or unequal size.

A cataract is clouding of the eye’s lens from aging or other factors such as injury or certain medications. The clouding makes vision worse.

Glasses or contact lenses can help with an early cataract. If the cataract affects your daily life, you may need cataract surgery. See an ophthalmologist if your vision is becoming cloudy.

With diabetes, your body does not use or store glucose properly. Over time this can damage the blood vessels of the retina, leading to bleeding and other changes inside the eye that can cause vision loss.

Regular visits help catch and treat diabetic retinopathy early.

Glaucoma is a disease that damages the fibres of the optic nerve, which carries images from the eye to the brain. It narrows your peripheral vision and can cause vision loss. Treatment protects the optic nerve by lowering eye pressure.

People with glaucoma often have no symptoms, and the diagnosis is made only at an eye exam.

AMD is one of the most common causes of poor vision after age 60. It causes loss of the central part of your vision when the light-sensing cells of the macula break down.

There are two types. Dry AMD is more common. Wet AMD is more severe and can cause rapid vision loss, so it needs prompt treatment with injections of anti-VEGF medication. Regular eye exams after 50 help find AMD sooner.