Find a Helena Optometrist right for you.

Optometrists (OD) are health care professionals who examine, diagnose, and treat diseases and disorders of the eye. In Helena, MT there are 3^* or more actively practicing. Regular responsibilities of an Optometrist include:

• Performing eye exams for vision and health problems
• Prescribing and fitting corrective lenses, such as eyeglasses and contact lenses
• Prescribing eye medications

Eye conditions Optometrists commonly treat:

Myopia

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is an eye condition that inhibits clear vision from far away. About 6,445^* people will visit Helena Optometrists for vision obstructed by myopia. By 2020, it is estimated that there will be 2.5 billion people in the world, and approximately 9,762^* in Helena, Montana with nearsightedness. Myopia can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.

Hyperopia

Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is the opposite of myopia, patients have difficulty seeing up close, but clear vision far away. There are approximately 5,672^* cases of people having hyperopia in Helena, Montana. Over half the people with farsightedness are above the age 65. Hyperopia, like myopia, is most frequently treated with corrective lenses or refractive surgery.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is the natural loss of your eyes' ability to focus on nearby objects. This is an age related condition, usually developing after age 40. 1 in 11, about 2,836^* people in Helena, Montana now have their vision compromised by presbyopia. Difficulty reading is the most common early warning sign used to detect presbyopia. Text seems to have less contrast and must be well lit, and held further away to see clearly. There are about 590 million presbyopes in the world, which equals about 2,304^* in Helena, Montana. By 2020, it's estimated to rise to 3,905^* in Helena, MT and 1 billion in the World.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism causes blurry vision due to an irregular shaped cornea. The normal shape of the cornea is round, but astigmatism occurs when it's shaped more like an oval or a football. With an irregular shaped cornea, light enters the eye and focuses at 2 points instead of one. Over 45 Million Americans have astigmatism. About 3,887^* patients in Helena, MT see Optometrists for problems with astigmatism. The most common treatment is with special prescription Toric lenses, that bend light along two axis. Another treatment option is refractive surgery which corrects the shape of the cornea.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises. This damage results in gradual visual changes and eventually loss of vision. In the US, more than 2 million glaucoma related visits are made to Optometrist's office each year. Another 1.1 million cases go undetected. In Helena, Montana that would equal about 191^* detected and 95^* undetected. Most patients with glaucoma require only medication to control the eye pressure. With early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia is commonly known as lazy eye, a condition affecting approximately 3% of children under 15, about 212^* in Helena, Montana. This condition develops at an early age and is commonly caused by either one eye having stronger vision than the other, strabismus (cross-eye or wall-eye), or blockage of an eye due to trauma or lid droop. Treatment for amblyopia is done by strengthening the weaker eye with medicated drops or an eye patch. Children age 7-17 are likely to benefit most from the treatment, with a much lower success rate in adults.

Strabismus

Strabismus, also known as cross-eyed or wall-eyed, is a disorder that causes one eye to be misaligned with the other when focusing. Due to a lack of coordination, the eyes look in different directions and do not focus at the same time on a single point. Approximately 86^* visits are made to optometrists in Helena, Montana concerning strabismus. Treatments for strabismus include glasses, medication, eye exercises, or surgery if non surgical means are unsuccessful. When left untreated, 30-50% of children with strabismus develop secondary vision loss in the form of lazy eye.

^* This data has been compiled from multiple government and commercial sources. Figures shown for Helena Optometrist and Optometry are estimates based upon general statistical analysis and averages amongst the American population.

Optometrist Training

In the United States, in order to become an Optometrist, one must complete four years of college, and a 4-year program at an accredited optometry school. Applicants for an Optometry license must have a Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited optometry school and must pass both a written National Board examination and clinical board examination. All States require that optometrists be licensed, and many also require applicants to pass an examination on relevant State laws. 17 colleges in the US offer programs accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association.

How to find an Optometrist in Helena, Montana

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Search Tips for an Optometrist in Helena, Montana

If you decide to consult a Helena Optometrist close to you, try a search using one of these Helena area ZIP Codes:

59601, 59602.

Search for the City and the State or State Abbreviation. Searches for Helena alone, could result in the wrong location. So we suggest using Helena, Montana or Helena, MT.

Be sure to search for keyword Helena Optometrist. One of the most encountered mistakes on the internet is to search for the wrong keyword. Common misspellings include:

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Disclaimer - eyeTopics.com does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of any information on this site. This data has been compiled from multiple government and commercial sources. Figures shown for Helena Optometrist and Optometry are based upon general statistic analysis and averages amongst the American population.