We go to eye doctors to make sure our eyes are healthy and free of disease or when we notice symptoms of a problem. Sometimes another doctor refers us to an eye specialist. Optometrists and ophthalmologists are the two main types of eye doctors. Optometrists provide patients with general eye care. They perform vision tests, monitor for issues such as diabetes, and treat glaucoma, among other things. While optometrists can perform the majority of primary eye care procedures, they may need to refer a patient to an ophthalmologist on occasion.
Ophthalmologists are specialists who have received additional training in the eye, its diseases, and treatment. Their education does not end with board certification; they must continue to maintain a level of knowledge in eye-related issues beyond that of a general practice doctor. An ophthalmologist, unlike an optometrist, can treat and diagnose diseases such as glaucoma. Perhaps most importantly, ophthalmologists are trained to perform eye surgeries. This can include surgery to correct crossed eyes, remove cataracts, and treat glaucoma, and other conditions. They are also trained in Lasik eye surgery. Ophthalmologists may perform plastic surgery to smooth out wrinkles or raise a droopy eyelid in some cases. Optometrists and ophthalmologists are both eye doctors, but only ophthalmologists can diagnose diseases and perform surgery on the eyes.
Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes optic nerve damage. This damage is frequently caused by abnormally high eye pressure. Glaucoma is a leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness. Because vision loss is typically gradual and occurs over time, patients may not notice the change until the condition has progressed to an advanced stage. Because glaucoma vision loss is irreversible, it is critical to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure and other tests so that a diagnosis can be made early on. When glaucoma is detected early, vision loss can be slowed or stopped. When you are hurt or sick, you probably believe that going to the doctor will help you get better. And, while doctors intend to help their patients, their intervention can sometimes have negative consequences. This could be the case for a variety of reasons, including a visit to the eye doctor. Call our office today to discuss your options if you believe you have been the victim of eye doctor medical malpractice. Our highly experienced medical malpractice attorneys at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano may be able to assist you in obtaining the compensation you deserve. We serve clients throughout Upstate New York and have offices in several convenient locations. Our extensive experience in the field of medical malpractice is reflected in the results we have obtained for our clients.
The fluid inside your eye, known as aqueous humor, usually exits through a mesh-like channel. The liquid accumulates if this channel becomes blocked or if the eye produces too much fluid. Experts aren’t always sure what causes this blockage, but it can be inherited, which means it’s passed down from parents to children.
A blunt or chemical injury to your eye, a severe eye infection, blocked blood vessels inside your eye, and inflammatory conditions are all less common causes of glaucoma. It’s uncommon, but eye surgery to treat another condition can sometimes trigger it. It usually affects both eyes, but one may be affected more severely than the other. Glaucoma primarily affects adults over the age of 40, but it can affect young adults, children, and even infants. African Americans are more likely to get it when they are younger and have more vision loss.
Medical malpractice can result in glaucoma-related vision damage if the doctor fails to recognize the patient’s glaucoma or fails to treat the glaucoma adequately. Eyedrops are the first line of defense against most types of glaucoma, and if they don’t work, surgery to open up the drainage channels may be required.
Glaucoma misdiagnosis is something that primary care physicians, internists, and family practitioners are sometimes guilty of. Optometrists are another primary care doctor who may overlook glaucoma. Ophthalmologists, who treat glaucoma as one of their bread-and-butter conditions, are not usually the ones who miss glaucoma entirely, but they do sometimes commit malpractice by failing to treat the disease with sufficient attention.
Glaucoma can be a silent killer of vision, which is a significant issue. Visual damage can occur so slowly that patients may not notice any change in their vision until severe and irreversible damage has occurred. That is why any glaucoma patient should be closely monitored.
With so many ways to detect glaucoma, one would think that a patient who has regular eye exams would always have glaucoma detected early before irreversible damage has occurred. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There have been numerous ophthalmology and optometry malpractice cases in which patients were never given any of those tests or worse, the tests were given but the abnormal results were ignored.
Were you or a loved one injured due to a delayed or misdiagnosis of Glaucoma? Then you need to talk to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible for guidance on how to proceed. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, we represent injured clients and their families throughout Upstate New York, including Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Buffalo, Elmira, Binghamton, Auburn, Ithaca, Oswego, Norwich, Herkimer, Delhi, Cooperstown, Cortland, Lowville, Oneida, Watertown, Utica, Canandaigua, Wampsville, Lyons, and surrounding areas. Please call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us via our online form to discuss your case.