Your Eye Care Professional
Eye exams are the first line of defense in diagnosing AMD. If you have a family history of AMD, or other risk factors, this is particularly important. Talk to your eye care professional the next time you visit to determine what's right for you.
Your eye care professional will screen you for AMD using a variety of tests. There are three different types of professionals who work in the vision field and are qualified to administer tests for AMD:
Optometrists: Doctors of optometry (O.D.s) are independent eye care providers. Optometrists are licensed to practice optometry, not medicine. However, their role in detecting AMD can be critical since there are often no symptoms at very early stages of AMD and regularly scheduled visits for such routine matters as corrective lenses can include screenings to detect signs of the disease.
Additionally, optometrists serve as referrals to other health care professionals, like ophthalmologists and retina specialists, who can confirm a diagnosis of AMD and recommend treatment.
Ophthalmologists: Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists are specially trained to provide the full spectrum of eye care, including diagnosis, management and surgery of ocular diseases and disorders. In addition to several years of medical school, ophthalmologists are trained for a long period of time during which they receive special instruction in all aspects of eye care.
People who suspect they may be at risk of developing AMD or who notice symptoms of the disease should go directly to an ophthalmologist for diagnosis, referral to a retina specialist and/or treatment.
Retina specialists: Retina specialists are ophthalmologists who are highly trained in the diagnosis, management and treatment of macular degeneration and other retinal problems such as diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachments. In addition to several years of medical school and residency, they also spend an additional one to two years completing fellowship training.
Because these physicians are so highly specialized in the field, ophthalmologists often refer people who show signs of AMD to a retina specialist to confirm diagnosis and, ultimately, recommend and perform treatment.