When it comes to your vision health, it’s critical to see the medical provider who best fits your needs. It’s easy to confuse the optometry and ophthalmology professions, yet each plays a different yet vital role to your eye health. We want to start by offering two direct and general definitions:
An optometrist is an eye specialist with a optometry degree who is trained to prescribe glasses and contact lenses, conduct low-vision therapy, and diagnose and treat a few eye diseases.
An ophthalmologist is an eye specialist who is also a medical doctor, having trained as a medical doctor through medical school first, then an EyeMD./Eye Surgeon second While an ophthalmologist is qualified in all the same areas as an optometrist, they have more extensive, longer education in the medical diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions and also perform eye surgery.
(For lengthier definitions, see the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology).
Here at Takle Eye Group, we have four ophthalmologists who provide care for our patients: Dr. Leiv Takle Sr., Dr. Leiv Takle Jr., Dr. Blaine Cribbs and Dr. Benjamin Baumrind. Each provider has extensive medical training and is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in Georgia and who are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. While ophthalmologists are trained to care for all eye problems and conditions, some also specialize in a specific area of medical or surgical eye care. For example, Dr. Benjamin Baumrind is a surgical retina specialist, treating such conditions as diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears and detachment, macular degeneration and more.
We’re pleased to have Dr. Ruchi Gandhi on our team as an Optometrist, providing primary vision care, ranging from vision testing, contact lens fitting, and routine eye care. Under her expertise, many common eye ailments can be quickly diagnosed in the clinic, often without any invasive diagnostic procedures.
The importance of maintaining the best possible vision throughout our lifetime can hardly be overstated. Entrusting your eye health to a highly qualified provider is essential. From routine eye exams to various eye disease diagnostics and treatment, Takle Eye Group provides comprehensive eye care for your entire family under one roof.
