How to Find an Excellent Eye Doctor in Cedar Park

Has your vision been fuzzy lately? You’re probably overdue to see an eye doctor. Before you rush to the nearest optometrist, you need to make sure you’re picking the right eye doctor for you.

Keep reading to learn tips on how you can find an excellent eye doctor in Cedar Park today, so you can start seeing more clearly as soon as possible.

Finding The Best Eye Doctor In Cedar Park 

There a couple of factors you’ll want to consider before you commit to an eye doctor in Ceder Park, including what type of eye doctor you need, what your eye insurance covers, and your budget as well as recommendations and reviews. Let’s first break down the different types of eye doctors.

Types Of Eye Doctors

Eye Doctors are broken down into two groups, Ophthalmologists and Optometrists. There is also a third type of eye care providers called the optician. We’ll break each professional down so you can determine which eye doctor is right for you.

Optometrists

Optometrists are eye doctors that have a Doctor of Optometry or OD degree. An optometrist will examine your eyes for both health and vision problems.

These eye doctors can correct any refractive issues you have by prescribing contact lenses or eyeglasses. There are even some optometrists that can provide you with vision therapy and low vision care.

In the United States, Optometrists are licensed to prescribe medications for eye diseases and problems. How much eye care your optometrist can provide you with depends on your state’s law. You can find out more by visiting the Texas board of optometry’s website.

You might also see an optometrist for pre and post-operative care if you are getting eye surgery from an ophthalmologist. Optometrists are typically not licensed to perform eye surgery. So pretty much any vision care you need that does not require surgery, you’ll want to see an optometrist for.

Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists, on the other hand, are medical doctors (MDs) or a doctor osteopathic medicine (DO) that specialize in vision care. These doctors are trained to diagnose and treat disease, perform eye exams, prescribe medication and perform eye surgery. Ophthalmologists are also able to write prescriptions for contact lenses and eyeglasses.

If you were to compare optometrists and ophthalmologists to dentistry, then the education of an optometrist is more similar to a general dentist while the education of an ophthalmologist is more similar to an oral surgeon.  In other words, you will need to see an ophthalmologist if you need eye surgery.

Opticians

While not eye doctors, opticians are a key part of your eye care team. Opticians use the prescriptions that your optometrist or ophthalmologist writes to fit and sell you eyeglasses and other eyewear, like prescription sunglasses.

Get Recommendations

One of the best ways to find any doctor is to get a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member. While you can look up reviews on Google and Yelp, it’s always best to get recommendation from someone you know and trust.

Social media is a good way to put feelers out for a good eye doctor. Ask friends who recommend their eye doctor questions that matter to you, like was the eye doctor attentive to their needs. Whatever is important to you about an eye doctor, ask your friend about it.

Consider Vision Insurance

The type of vision insurance you have has an impact on what eye doctor in Cedar Park you can go to as different eye doctors accept different eye insurance policies.

You’ll want to find an eye doctor that is an authorized provider under your insurance plan. You also will want to find out what your out-of-pocket expenses will be for your eye exam and visit.

You can usually find out this information simply by calling a perspective eye doctor’s office and telling them your insurance information. A lot of insurance companies will also have a directory of local eye doctors who accept their vision plans on their website.

Medicare

If you have Medicare, know that most optometrists and ophthalmologists that give general eye care to the entire family will accept Medicare for their older patients. But know that while Medicare will cover your visits to an eye doctor for eye care, it won’t cover routine eye exams.

So if you have Medicare and are in need of a routine eye exam, that means paying for this exam will be out of your pocket, unless you also have a vision insurance policy that covers routine eye exam.

However, if you have Medicare and a pre-existing eye condition, like macular degeneration or cataracts, part of your eye exam might be covered. You will have to ask your doctor for details.

Insurance Claims

When you call a potential eye doctor’s office to ask if they take your insurance, you will also want to find out how they handle insurance claims. You’ll want to know if you will have to pay for the exam upfront and then submit the claim, or if the eye doctor bills your insurance company directly.

If you don’t have vision insurance, you will want to know how much your potential eye doctor charges for a routine eye exam and for any special test you might need.

Of course, you don’t want to choose an eye doctor simply based on the cost, but this is a factor to consider.

Consider Your Family’s Needs

Another factor you should consider when finding an eye doctor in Cedar Park is what your family’s eye care needs are. For example, if you have kids, you might want an eye doctor who’s kid-friendly.

You will also want to consider the eye doctor’s location. Think about how far you will have to travel to see this doctor, and how that impacts taking off time from work and school to go to appointments.

Call the Eye Doctor’s Office

Once you have some recommendations, call the eye doctor’s office and ask as many questions as you like. You already need to call to make sure they accept your insurance. You also will want to ask telling questions, like how long they’ve been in business, what their hours are, and if they’re kid-friendly (if that matters to you).

Find An Eye Doctor Today 

Now that you know how to find an eye doctor in Cedar Park, it’s time to start your search. Make sure you know what type of eye doctor you need, get recommendations, and see if they accept your insurance.

To find out if Cedar Park Vision is right for you and your family, contact us today!