Optometry
Primary eye care: comprehensive exams, prescriptions, and screening for eye disease.
What does an optometrist do?
Optometrists provide primary eye care: comprehensive eye exams, prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses, evaluation of common eye conditions (dry eye, conjunctivitis, mild infections), and screening for eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. They're trained at the doctoral level (Doctor of Optometry, OD) and, depending on state law, can prescribe many eye medications.
When a condition needs surgery or specialized medical management, the optometrist refers to an ophthalmologist (an MD eye surgeon). The two specialties often work together: the optometrist handles routine care and follow-up, the ophthalmologist handles surgery and complex disease.
Children, adults, and screening for disease
Recommended exam intervals vary by age, risk, and overall health. The American Optometric Association suggests children have a first exam in infancy and again before starting school, and that many adults have a comprehensive exam every one to two years; people with diabetes, a glaucoma history, or other risk factors may need annual exams. Ask your provider what schedule is right for you.
Vision screenings at a school or primary-care office aren't a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam. Screenings catch obvious problems; a full optometry exam evaluates eye health, pressure, retina, and binocular function in a way a screening doesn't.
Find optometry providers near you
Optometry on ProviderQuoHealth
Myeyedr
Glenn C Middleton, OD
Glenn C Middleton, OD, is an optometrist providing vision care services in Aberdeen, NC. He works with patients to address their eye health and visual needs through comprehensive optometric care.
David M Wells, OD
David M Wells, OD, is an optometrist serving the Aberdeen, NC area. He provides comprehensive eye care and vision services to patients of all ages.
Benjamin Hale Wacker, OD
Benjamin Hale Wacker, OD, is an optometrist providing comprehensive eye care services in Aberdeen, NC. He works with patients to address their vision and eye health needs.
Eye Care Associates — Optometry
Aberdeen Eye Care Associates provides optometry services to patients in Aberdeen, NC. The practice focuses on comprehensive eye care and vision needs for the community.
William Douglas Roscoe, OD
William Douglas Roscoe, OD, is an optometrist practicing in Sanford, NC. He provides comprehensive eye care services to patients in the area.
O'connell & Martin Eye Associates — Optometry
Vision One Eye Center OD PA provides optometry services to patients in Sanford, NC. The practice offers comprehensive eye care and vision services.
Carolina Vision Associates — Optometry
Sanford Optometric OD PA provides optometric care to the Sanford, NC community. The practice specializes in comprehensive eye exams and vision correction services.
Roscoe Optometric Clinic PA — Optometry
Roscoe Optometric Clinic PA is an optometry practice located in Sanford, NC. The clinic provides comprehensive eye care services to the community.
Robert Blunt Gotschalk, OD
Robert Blunt Gotschalk, OD, is an optometrist serving the Sanford, NC area. He provides comprehensive eye care and vision services to patients of all ages.
North Carolina Physicians Eyecare Group, P.C.
Nathaniel Alexander Martin, OD
Nathaniel Alexander Martin, OD, is an optometrist serving the Sanford, NC area. Dr. Martin provides comprehensive eye care services to help patients maintain healthy vision.
Mindie DO, OD
Mindie Do, OD, is an optometrist providing vision care services in Sanford, NC. She works with patients to address their eye health and visual needs.
Mark Chandler Mitchum, OD
Mark Chandler Mitchum, OD, is an optometrist serving patients in Sanford, NC. He provides comprehensive eye care and vision services to help patients maintain healthy eyesight.
Mark C Mitchum OD — Optometry
Mark C Mitchum offers optometry services in Sanford, NC. He provides comprehensive eye care to help patients maintain healthy vision.
Central Carolina Optometry — Optometry
Katherine H. Johnson is an optometrist practicing in Sanford, NC. She provides comprehensive eye care services to patients in the area.
Ilan Moshe Dock, OD
Ilan Moshe Dock is an optometrist providing vision care services in Sanford, NC. With an OD credential, Dock offers comprehensive eye exams and optical services to patients in the area.
Eyecarecenter OD PA
Charles Van Sikes, OD
Charles Van Sikes, OD, is an optometrist practicing in Sanford, NC. He provides comprehensive eye care services to patients in the area.
Central Carolina Optometry, P.A. — Optometry
Central Carolina Optometry, P.A. provides optometry services in Sanford, NC. The practice focuses on comprehensive eye care and vision correction for patients in the area.
Family Eye Care Optometry
Andrew Michael Graves, OD
Andrew Michael Graves, OD, is an optometrist in Sanford, NC. Dr. Graves provides comprehensive eye care services for patients in the local community.
Pressley Warren Hales, OD
Pressley Warren Hales, OD, is an optometrist serving the Southern Pines, NC area. Dr. Hales provides comprehensive vision care and eye health services to patients of all ages.
Nicole Piatt Apple, OD
Nicole Piatt Apple, OD, is an optometrist serving patients in Southern Pines, NC. She provides comprehensive eye care and vision services to help you maintain healthy eyesight.
Eric R. Fogleman O.D. — Optometry
Midland Optometric PA provides optometry services to the Southern Pines, NC community. The practice offers comprehensive eye care and vision services for patients of all ages.
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Frequently asked
Vision plan vs. medical insurance — which one pays for my visit?
Routine eye exams (refraction for glasses or contacts) usually run through a vision plan, which often has separate billing from your medical insurance. Visits for an eye complaint or disease (red eye, diabetic eye exam, glaucoma follow-up) typically run through medical insurance. Many practices accept both and can tell you which one applies before the visit.
How is an optometrist different from an ophthalmologist?
An optometrist (OD) provides primary eye care, prescribes corrective lenses, treats common eye conditions, and screens for disease. An ophthalmologist (MD or DO) is a physician and surgeon who handles eye surgery and complex medical eye disease. Many patients see an optometrist for routine care and are referred to an ophthalmologist only when surgery or specialized treatment is needed.
Do I need to bring my old glasses?
Yes, if you have them. Your current prescription and frames give the optometrist a baseline for comparison. Bring contact lenses too if you wear them, along with the boxes or lens packaging so they can confirm brand and prescription details.
Are you a optometry practice?
Add your practice to ProviderQuoHealth and connect with patients actively searching for optometry care. Listings are free during launch.
About our medical review process
This page was reviewed by Myra A. Jones BSN, RN, CCM, a registered nurse, for medical accuracy and adherence to current clinical standards as of June 16, 2026. ProviderQuoHealth’s health content is reviewed by licensed healthcare professionals before publication and re-checked when the content materially changes.
Important: Not Medical Advice
This information is provided for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you have about a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you have read on ProviderQuoHealth. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.