I think my daughter may have a lazy eye, does she need to see an optometrist or an opthamologist?

Question

Seriously, this is ridiculously confusing. Anyway, she seems to see ok, but one eye tends to turn toward her nose (sometimes, not all the time, though it's getting more frequent). I really don't know the difference between an optometrist and an opthamologist to begin with, and I don't know if she's going to need glasses or an eyepatch or what. 

So, people who know more than me, should I be making an appointment for an optometrist or an opthamologist? Or is there a particularly significant difference between the two?

anEyeDoc · Accepted Answer

Either type would be fine as long as the whoever you see is good at working with kids. I am thinking your daughter is quite young so she may not know her letters yet.  Most optometrists can do an eye exam on a young kid but opthalmologists are surgical specialists. Some see kids and do eye muscle surgery others do cataract surgery, others do laser surgery etc...
So whoever you call, ask if they examine children and explain to them about the suspected lazy eye.   If her eye isn't constantly turning inward she won't need surgery but perhaps spectacles to keep the eye straight.

Heather · Answer

Optometrist go to a school of optometry. Ophthalmologist go to medical school. I would recommend going to an ophthalmologist, they may be able to do more for your daughter. You could also start with an optometrist and they can refer you to an ophthalmologist if need be.

Anonymous · Answer

Optometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans

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I think my daughter may have a lazy eye, does she need to see an optometrist or an opthamologist?

3 Answers