What is Ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist is a medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes in eye and vision care.
Top Ophthalmologist In South Africa
Below are some of the Top ophthalmologists.
Dr. Cah Pearse
Dr. D Doubell
Dr. Bd Phillips
Dr. Joffe Jonathan
Dr. Mj Harrison
Dr. Ap Bougas
Centre For Ophthalmology
Dr. Dj Kritzinger
How often should you have your eyes examined?
It is important to periodically have your eyes examined throughout your life. Telling your ophthalmologist about any history of eye disease in your family is also crucial.
An eye exam at 6 months old will help in the early detection of vision problems that can be contributing factors in developmental delays, educational setbacks, and behavioral problems in children experiencing difficulty seeing properly.
It is recommended that healthy adults who have not noticed anything wrong with their eyes or vision should see an eye doctor according to the following schedule:
• Age 19 – 40: at least every 10 years
• Age 41 – 55: at least every 5 years
• Age 56 – 65: at least every 3 years
• Over 65: at least every 2 years
Are there some people who are at a higher risk of eye problems and need to see an ophthalmologist in South Africa more frequently?
Yes. South Africans at a much higher risk include:
• People with diabetes, thyroid disease, rheumatological diseases such as lupus.
• People of African or Hispanic descent
• Anyone with a tendency toward high intraocular pressure
• Anyone with a family history of glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration, or retinal detachment
• Anyone with a previous eye injury
• People taking certain medications (Plaquanil, Prednisone, and Ethambutol are just a few of the medications that can affect the eyes — always ask your prescribing physician if vision can be affected by the medication you take)
• People already experiencing poor eyesight from any other causes such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc.
These South Africans should follow the recommended schedule:
• Over 40 years old: at least every 3 years
• Over 50 years old: at least every 2 years
• Over 60 years old: at least once a year
What’s the difference between a diagnostic eye exam and an exam for the purposes of refraction?
• A diagnostic eye examination requires knowledge and experience provided by a medical doctor with specialty certification in ophthalmology
• A refractive examination involves the taking of measurements for visual acuity and the prescribing of correction. This examination does not require a medical doctor.
• The use of supporting vision team personnel to perform certain non-medical procedures or tests is appropriate as a means of increasing the availability of ophthalmologists to provide medical services and to provide comprehensive and efficient eye care to the greatest number of people.
• Supporting personnel on the vision team work with and are supervised by ophthalmologists at all times. The ophthalmologist is responsible for the delivery of comprehensive eye care, which includes primary, secondary, or tertiary care.
How many ophthalmologists are in South Africa?
The true number of those working within the country probably rests at just under 400 ophthalmologists working in both the private and public sectors.
Research conducted by Lecuona found that there were 62 hospitals with eye units in the public sector in South Africa serving 80% of the population.