Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ophthalmologist

Should I see an opthamologist or an optometrist?

desjardins — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:23 -0800

Probably need my first pair of glasses. Haven't had my eyes checked in years. Should I see an opthamologist or an optometrist? My vision is not what it used to be. I look at a computer all day and I'm starting to get eyestrain. Night driving is also more difficult. Should I see an opthamologist just because I haven't had a checkup in awhile? Or is that overkill?

What fun stuff should I know about getting my first pair of glasses? (I'm sure I don't want contacts.)

I'm 35, no known health conditions that would affect vision. I have health/vision insurance.

Retinal tears and detachment 101?

loquacious — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:35:00 -0800

Retinal tears and detachments 101. Please tell me everything you know or have experienced from symptoms to treatment and aftercare. I'm pretty sure I've been experiencing the symptoms of threatening retinal detachment/tears for a few months now. I'm getting "floaters" that only move a little bit side to side or up and down and then always "settle" back to the same shape and position - which are probably, now that I really think about it, wrinkles. Wrinkles in my damn retina. Because the goo in my eyes is shrinking. Argh.

To get this part out of the way: Yes, I'm a fucking idiot. Yes, I'm going to go try see a doctor at an ER without insurance real soon now, and try and try again - unless it suddenly worsens in which case I'll go right now.

This isn't a "should I see a doctor for this?" question. The answer is "Yes, you idiot."

So, please... please tell me anything and everything you know about symptoms, diagnosis methods, treatment options and aftercare. I guess the real question is: What am I in for?

Can you recommend a great eye doctor in New York City

AnyGuelmann — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:00:56 -0800

I'm looking to hear from people who have both astigmatism and myopia and have successfully transitioned to contact lenses. Also, if your eye doc is in Manhattan, can I have his/her number? I have astigmatism (under 1.00) and myopia (under 1.50) and I'd like to start wearing contacts. I'm sort of fed up with frames and I'd like to have another option, and especially avoid getting prescription lenses for all my sun glasses.

From what I've read, contacts for myopia and astigmatism combined can be somewhat tricky. There's supposed to be more issues to be considered as far as type and fitting. I'm all right with that, as long as it works. Did it work for you? Are you a happy, crisp-visioned contact person?

That said, I'm also looking for a great ophthalmologist in NY, preferably Manhattan.

Seattle Eye Doctors?

rouftop — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:04:46 -0800

Hi, Looking for an eye doctor in Seattle. Somebody who'll give me the skinny on whether I'm a good candidate for Lasik, without trying to push me into anything. Lots of good lasik threads here on AskMeFi, not so many threads on eye doctors in Seattle. Am I even going the right route? Should I just go straight to a good Lasik doctor? I fear being pitched something that's not right for me.

Which ophthalmologist in Boston should I see?

davidriley — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:50:29 -0800

I want to have my eyes examined by an ophthalmologist. I'm insured by BlueCross BlueShield. Any recommendations for a good practice in the Boston/Cambridge area?

Optometrist recommendation in Chicago, IL

sk381 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:14:07 -0800

Need to find a *cheap* Optometrist/Ophthalmologist in Chicago. Any suggestions? Also, does any one know whether any national chain are running any specials these days? Thanks.

Optometrist recommendation (for contact lenses) in Washington, DC?

dcjd — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:07:36 -0800

Optometrist recommendation (for contact lenses) in Washington, DC ? Any recommendations for an optometrist in DC that does a good job with contact lenses? Before I moved to DC, I usually went to an ophthalmologist, but he didn't really specialize in fitting people for contacts. My contacts have been giving me problems, and I've had to switch to glasses. I'd like to see someone locally who can help figure out how to get me happy with contacts again. Thanks! (additionally, I don't have vision insurance, so that's not a consideration)

Do I need a pirate costume to go with this eyepatch?

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:12:01 -0800

Why can't I stop seeing double? For the last week I have had double vision. I have a ophthalmologist appointment next week, but can anyone shed some light on this in the meantime? It's freaking me out.

I am nearsighted (4.25/3.5) and have strabismus in my right eye; they patched it when I was a baby, and it tracks objects to the front and my right, but not to my left (it rolls up all wonky and Paris Hilton-style). I have always been able to make myself see double by consciously relaxing my eye, but I typically do not see that way.

Three weeks ago I got new, more powerful contacts, with no problems or worsening of vision that I recall. Over the weekend I wore my new, stronger glasses for the first time. I wore them all weekend. Before this I had not worn glasses for more than a couple of hours in about five years. It felt kind of weird, but I could see. On Monday I started wearing my new contacts again and have had progressively worse double vision all week, to to the point where I could not focus on a single line of text in print or screen without shadowy ghosts slipping in and out. It is worse with my contacts than with my glasses, and least bad with nothing, but it's still present even then. It seems to worsen as the day goes on. Near objects are more likely to double dramatically than faraway ones. If I close one eye, everything is awesome, except the no-depth-perception part.

My optometrist said that he doesn't get what's going on; he tried prisms in his office yesterday, which should have helped, but that made the doubling worse.

Other information:
-I have migraines, but my head doesn't hurt. I take Imitrex as needed when it does and Skelaxin for muscle tension in my neck and shoulders as needed.
-My job requires me to read printed or screen text constantly. I am doing that for about 10-12 hours per day.
-I do not have any history of epilepsy, although I did faint once when I had the flu.

Please help me find an ophthalmologist in London!

sueinnyc — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 04:41:44 -0800

Please help me find an ophthalmologist in London. I moved to the UK in October. I have not yet made contact with any medical services here in London, but I am due for a check-up with an ophthalmologist. My ophthalmologist in NYC could not recommend anyone here, and so far relatives have also been unable to recommend anyone. I have spent some time online looking for “top doctors” lists or referral services, but have not found anything helpful.

I have private health insurance, but my visits to the ophthalmologist will not be covered. I am ready and willing to pay a lot to see someone good; I would like to find someone very knowledgeable and very personable (as would we all, I suppose). I do not yet have a GP in London (I seem to recall that I am supposed to wait six months to get one).

Any recommendations of either how to find the right ophthalmologist or who the right ophthalmologist might be?

Is Doxycycline A Bad Idea?

blahtsk — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:57:52 -0800

Doxycycline used for eye surface repair: Safe? Worth it? I have severe dry eye symptoms and light sensitivities. I saw an ophthalmologist this morning who is a cornea specialist. He gave me some drops to use, but he also wants me to try taking 100 MG of doxycycline twice daily for six weeks to see if it helps increase tear and oil production in my eyes (I may be a little bit off but that's the gist of what I gathered).

My wifey believes antibiotics should be used as a distant last resort, and is very skeptical of me using a broad-spectrum antibiotic for that long.

Is the wifey overreacting?
Should I give the pills a try?
Also, is 100 MG of doxycycline a sub-anti-microbal dose?
Have you had positive or negative experiences using doxycycline for eye surface repair?

Thanks in advance, hive mind.