Our eyesight is a precious gift. Regular vision care helps to protect your eyesight and your general health and well-being.
Unless directed otherwise by your vision care expert, you should have a routine vision care appointment with an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist every other year. Some physical conditions require more frequent visits to your eye doctor. Follow the directions of your doctor.
Frequently we hear different terms used when referring to vision care experts. An optometrist is a vision care expert who has completed at least four years of college level study and four years at an accredited college of optometry, having earned the degree of Doctor of Optometry (O. D.) An optometrist must be licensed to practice in the state and must pass an examination to become licensed. In general, a licensed optometrist can perform an optometric examination that includes reviewing the patient's history, a visual analysis, Ophthalmoscopy of the internal eye, tonometry without an anesthetic agent when indicated, a muscle balance examination and provide a prescription for glasses or contact lenses. The optometrist should provide follow up progress care as needed.
An optometrist may use a topical ocular Diagnostic Pharmaceutical agent (DPA) if the optometrist provides evidence to the State Board of Examiners in Optometry that he or she has the required education and experience to safely use topical pharmaceutical agents for diagnostic purposes but not as a treatment. These Optometrists are DPA Certified.
Some optometrists are "Therapeutically Certified." This means that they have demonstrated to the State Board of Examiners in Optometry that they have the necessary training and experience to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents or remove superficial foreign bodies from the eye. TPA certified Optometrists are licensed to administer certain drugs for treatment purposes.
OphthalmologistsAn ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD). In general, he or she has completed four years of college, four years of medical school and four years of post-graduate residency training, three of which are in the specialty of ophthalmology. The ophthalmologist must be licensed in the state. He or she is licensed to perform eye examinations and prescribe lenses or other corrective treatments. He or she is authorized to prescribe and/or dispense medicine or drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. He or she is a surgeon trained to perform invasive ocular procedures to protect and restore vision. The ophthalmologist is the medical doctor to whom the optometrist must refer patient with problems requiring treatment beyond the optometrists' licensure limitations.
OpticianAn optician is a professional specifically trained to assist you in selecting and fitting high quality lenses and fashion frames. He or she reads prescriptions for visual correction, orders lenses and dispenses spectacles and contact lenses. In the State of Maryland, an optician may elect to become certified by passing certain certification tests. This is not a requirement in Maryland however. An optician cannot perform eye tests, use therapeutic agents or offer other vision care services.
Maryland Eye Associates in Upper Marlboro and Annapolis, Scott Burge, O.D. is our difficult contact lens patient consultant. They work closely with our ophthalmologists: Michael J. Dodd, MD and Kathleen H. Miller, MD.
We offer complete vision care services. Our experienced opticians are anxious to assist you in selecting your fashion eyeglasses. Our team of experts can provide for all your vision care needs. We offer complete eye examinations, laser vision correction, medical and surgical treatment of cataracts, diabetic eye complications, glaucoma, macular degeneration, ocular plastic surgery and related vision care services.