Where do I go to get an expert eye diagnosis?

June 10, 2012 8:10 PM

What is the best place in the country to get my eyes checked out? I went to Walmart's eye center but...

A few years ago, Walmart's optometrist looked at my eyes and he said my so and so (forget what it was called) was misshapen and it could be possible that I have eye cancer. He also told me I should avoid Viagra in my older years because it may cause me blindness with my particular condition.

I was very cool and brushed it off, saying, "Ohh eye cancer, what do they do for that? A little radiation or something?" He said, "No, actually... they would take out your eye". Ever since then I've been sort of scared to go get a checkup.

I'm finally at the point where I'm ready to get an expert opinion on it. I am in Michigan, so Michigan-based would be preferable, but I don't mind going elsewhere to get an expert opinion.

posted by banished to health & fitness (7 answers total)

Go to an MD ophthalmologist. You don't have to go to the Mayo Clinic or whatever, just a doctor in your city with a degree and board certifications in ophthalmology.

And an optometrist could not diagnose cancer, nor should they. Go see a doctor.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:13 PM on June 10, 2012 [9 favorites]

Upsetting a patient by offering a catastrophic diagnosis is very unprofessional, and so is blabbing carelessly about radical treatment. An optometrist associated with an actual eye clinic should almost certainly be able to offer you more humane care and actually refer you for the kind of treatment you might need, should you need any. Do visit that optometrist (and a medical eye specialist, if you are referred to one), it's easier to maintain eye health proactively.
posted by Nomyte at 8:19 PM on June 10, 2012 [2 favorites]

You don't need an expert diagnosis. You need a diagnosis, period. Whatever that guy happened to mention was not a diagnosis, and if it had been any time recently you ought to have gone back and contacted his supervisor.

Ask your friends who wear glasses -- find a local optometrist or opthomologist. Or, go to your general practitioner and tell him/her what you heard and have them take a look and/or give you a referral. You can even just start at a local walk-in clinic if you don't have a doctor of your own.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:43 PM on June 10, 2012

I've never had a problem with the opthamologists in LensCrafters, no matter the state. I have a hereditary issue that manifested when I was a teenager, that to a trained eye looks like it could either be a) a harmless genetic mutation or b) a sign of a brain or possibly bone tumor, of the "months or even weeks to live" variety. Every single time, they've caught it immediately, carefully explained what what could be going on, and reccomended the correct, very thorough course of action (basically: get scans to check for growths and see a neurologist for other testing) that's more than just the standard CYA.

All the stores I've ever been to had at least one MD on staff, if not always on duty, and they're pretty good with walk-ins. Plus, you're not actually under any obligation to buy glasses from them. I never do anymore unless it's an emegency, just get a new prescription every year.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 9:28 PM on June 10, 2012

Yes, go to an MD ophthalmologist. My husband had something similar happen to him -- someone at the Sears vision center told him he might have a condition that would cause his eyeball to tear. After that grisly visual, he hightailed it over to a more medically-oriented practice and they told him he had nothing to worry about.
posted by Ostara at 10:44 PM on June 10, 2012

In Michigan you might want to consider the Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan.
posted by HuronBob at 2:58 AM on June 11, 2012

Seconding HuronBob's suggestion - the Kellog Eye Center is one of the best eye clinics in the country.
posted by leslies at 5:05 AM on June 11, 2012