Vision Park Family Eye Care provides comprehensive eye examinations, vision therapy, glasses, contact lenses and all your eye care needs.

WHAT IS A DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY?

Doctors of Optometry are primary eye care physicians who play an important part in a patient's overall health, serving patients in nearly 6,500 communities across the country. Optometrists provide a wide range of care, including:

-Detection and diagnosis of eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal disorders, lid disorders, and infections such as conjunctivitis

-Prescribing medications to treat eye disorders

-Evaluation and treatment of vision conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia

-Minor surgical procedures such as removing foreign bodies from the eye and inserting punctual plugs for dry eye syndrome

-Performing pre-and post-operative care, especially for glaucoma, laser, refractive, and cataract patients

WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION DO OPTOMETRISTS HAVE TO HAVE?
Optometrists complete a four-year doctoral program at one of 17 optometry schools in the nation. Prior to admittance into optometry school, optometrists typically complete four years of undergraduate study with required extensive coursework in advanced health, science, and mathematics courses.

After passing the Optometric Admittance Test (OAT) and being accepted into an optometry school, the doctoral program consists of four years of post-graduate, doctoral-level study concentrating on the eye, vision, and associated systemic disease. Upon completion of optometry school, candidates graduate from their accredited college of optometry and hold the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree. Some optometrists participate in residency programs following optometry school. This experience offers Doctors of Optometry training in an optometric sub-specialty such as pediatric optometry, low vision care, or geriatrics.

In addition to their formal, doctoral-level training, all optometrists participate in ongoing continuing education courses to stay current on the latest standards of care and to maintain their licenses to practice. Optometry is one of the only doctoral-level health care professions to require continuing education in every state for license renewal.

WHERE WE ARE


Westmark II Plaza 2699 86th St. Urbandale, Iowa 50322 515.270.2490 800.779.2490 M-W, Friday 8am-5pm Thursday 9am-7pm Saturdays by appointment only	Fox Prairie Plaza 640 South 50th Street, Suite 2180 West Des Moines, Iowa 50265 515.225.8667 Monday-Friday 9am-6pm