Dr. Donald C. Falgoust is a board certified ophthalmologist. He is an Eye M.D. (ophthalmologist). An Eye M.D. has a 4 year medical degree that is qualified by lengthy medical education, training and experience to diagnose, treat and manage all eye and visual systems. Because an Eye M.D. is a medical doctor and is licensed by a state regulatory board to practice medicine and surgery, an Eye M.D. can deliver total eye care: (vision services, contact lenses, eye examinations, medical eye care and surgical eye care), diagnose general diseases of the body, and treat ocular manifestations of systemic diseases.

WHEN TO SEE AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST

OVER AGE 65
Older adults should be examined at least every one to two years for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and other eye conditions.

AGES 40 TO 65
Schedule an exam every two to four years. Some people may be at higher risk for eye-related diseases and will need to see an Eye M.D. more often than recommended above. People at risk may include:
African Americans over age 40
People with diabetes
Those with a family history of eye problems
Those with a history of eye injury or other problems
If you or a family member fall into any of these categories, check with your Eye M.D. to find out how often to have an eye exam.

PUBERTY TO AGE 39
Most young people have healthy eyes. However, you should see an Eye M.D. if you experience any eye problems such as visual changes, pain, flashes of light, seeing spots or ghost-like images, if lines and edges appear distorted or wavy, a dark spot appears in your central vision, excessive tearing, dry eyes with itching or burning, or if you sustain an injury to the eye.

One of the most common causes of vision loss in children and young adults is accidental eye injury. Common causes of vision-threatening eye injury include:
Sports-related accidents
Work-related accidents
Wood or metal shop debris
Debris from yard work
Chemical splashes from household cleaners
Battery acid burns from jump-started vehicles
Make sure to protect yourself from accidental eye injury by using the appropriate eye protection. Your Eye M.D. can recommend the right protection
for your activities.

BEFORE AGE 5
Toddlers should be examined for common childhood eye problems, such as strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eye), as well as refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. Children should be examined younger than age 5 if there is a family history of childhood vision problems, or if they appear to have wandering or crossed eyes.