A friend, a relative, an optometrist or even an internet search might have informed you that you need to visit an ophthalmologist. This can confuse you, especially if you do not know what an ophthalmologist does. You might only think that you need to see an an optometrist or optician. Here's a simple guide to help you understand what an ophthalmologist does: Where It All Starts You might experience some eye symptoms like blindness, short- or long-sightedness, blurry or foggy vision, difficulty reading or seeing at night, sensitive eyes when looking at any light, streaks or spots in your sight, etc.

Ideally, you should have your child get a routine eye check once a year, and adults should also get a vision check up once in a while even if they don't wear glasses. Beyond routine screenings, you should keep an eye out for other issues. In particular, if your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, you may want to call the optometrist: Squinting In a lot of cases, vision problems come on slowly.