Maintaining good eye health is essential to preserving clear eyesight, and regular eye examinations are one of the best ways to achieve this. Visiting an eye specialist clinic in Singapore will keep you updated on your condition.
However, not all eye experts are qualified to treat and test all eye disorders. Your eye doctor’s speciality depends on what kind of problem you’re dealing with and what kind of treatments you require.
Each eye specialist in Singapore treats problems depending on their scope, but they have one thing in common: identify the issue’s root causes.
Here is a guide to help you understand who to visit and what complications may need an eye exam.
What is the job of an eye specialist?
Intricate networks of nerves and blood arteries make up the eye. Many complex eye problems require specialised equipment and expertise to diagnose and treat them.
Seeing an eye specialist in Singapore will guarantee that they can diagnose, treat and know what is causing your eye problems. In general, even with different fields, they provide all the necessary information to help you understand what you are experiencing.
What are the different eye specialists?
Optometrist
Eye doctors, such as optometrists, are trained and certified to inspect, diagnose, prescribe, and manage eye and visual system conditions. They are the most common health care professionals for the eyes.
Optometrists provide primary care for patients’ eyes in addition to being eye doctors. The main focus of their practice is assessment and examination of the eyes. However, when you visit an eye specialist clinic in Singapore, they also play a variety of other roles in eye care, such as:
- Advising patients on how to care for their eyes.
- Examining the eyes and vision screenings.
- The practice of prescription and administering corrective lenses.
- Prescribe medicine to treat various eye problems.
- Providing therapies, including eyesight therapy and rehab.
- Doing minor in-office operations to correct eye problems.
Ophthalmologists
An eye specialist in Singapore, like an ophthalmologist, is a medical doctor who has completed further training after graduating from medical school. They also help to keep infections from developing in the eyes.
An ophthalmologist’s job is to offer patients comprehensive eye care. These are some of the additional services they can provide:
- Ophthalmic surgery
- Take care of and diagnose eye ailments
- Conduct medical studies
- Ophthalmic plastic surgeons
- Deal with corneal complications
- See diseases of the brain that result in vision impairments
- Diagnose children’s eye health issues
This field also has subspecialties concerning cornea, retina, glaucoma and neurology.
Orthoptist
Orthoptists are eye doctors who specialise in treating eye movement difficulties, double vision, and squints. They are also the go-to professionals for detecting and treating binocular vision disorders.
You can visit this eye specialist in Singapore since they treat patients with a wide range of vision-related issues.
Opticians
Opticians make up the industry’s third most common occupation group. However, you should know that although you’ll see them when you visit an eye specialist clinic in Singapore, they are not eye physicians.
It is unethical for them to perform eye examinations on people or prescribe therapy. On the other hand, they have received specialised training in providing patients with eyeglasses and lenses.
However, it’s crucial not to denigrate their role in the eye care industry. For most eye doctors, a well-trained optician is essential to managing their optical or eyeglass business.
How to choose which eye specialist you need?
What criteria should you use while deciding on an eye specialist in Singapore? It all depends on the type of eye care you need.
You should consult an optometrist for routine eye care, such as a check-up or a refill of an eyeglasses prescription. On the other hand, you should see an ophthalmologist if you have a severe eye ailment, such as cornea, glaucoma or cataracts or if you need eye surgery.
To get an eyeglass or contact a new prescription, go to your local optician office or eye specialist clinic in Singapore.
When do you need to visit an eye specialist?
If you’re under 40 and have no visual concerns every two years, your doctor may recommend getting a standard eye exam. However, if you are over 40 and experiencing the symptoms, you should see an eye specialist in Singapore every one to two years.
The frequency of an eye exam depends on factors such as age, health, and a family history of visual difficulties. Most vision insurance policies typically cover a yearly thorough eye exam.
Purpose of an eye examination
When you visit an eye specialist clinic in Singapore, your doctor will perform several tests and examinations. The results of several tests can assess whether or not a patient requires eyeglasses or contact lenses. Another set of tests checks for eye illness and assesses eye health.
Your doctor may inquire about your medical history and any previous eye problems. Doctors use tests to establish your visual requirements and present health.
It also allows your doctor to keep tabs on any changes in your vision, identify potential issues with your eyes, and offer recommendations for maintaining good eye health.
How to find the right eye specialist in Singapore?
As you look for an eye specialist in Singapore, you should know that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Ask for recommendations
The best way to find an eye specialist clinic in Singapore is to ask family members for recommendations, especially those with eye problems. This way, you’ll feel at ease knowing you can trust them.
See reviews
Another tip is to visit websites and read for reviews. Some even include ratings that will tell you customer experiences. You will be able to read about real-life experiences and see photos of what their clinic looks like.
Visit an optometrist
Optometrists are an excellent place to start if you need routine eye care. Then, if you need immediate surgery, they’ll connect you with an ophthalmologist.
Get comprehensive eye care from Nova Eye Centre
Dr Eugene Tay is an eye specialist in Singapore that provides complete eye treatment and laser vision correction. More than two decades of experience in the medical field have led to his accreditation by the Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB) and registration with the Singapore Medical Council in the relevant specialty (SMC).