Optometry Expert Witnesses

Highly qualified optometrists for malpractice and injury cases

Optometry is a health care profession concerned with the eyes and related structures as well as vision, visual symptoms, and vision information processing. Optometrists provide primary vision care, including eye exams, prescribing corrective eyewear (glasses or contact lenses), and detecting and managing common eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. In most states, they are also permitted to prescribe and administer certain topical, oral, and injectable eye medications, and in some states, they can perform certain types of laser surgery.

Optometrists hold a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree and obtain Board Certification from the American Board of Optometry (ABO). Within the healthcare system, optometrists function as primary care physicians for the eye, performing eye exams and prescribing corrective lenses. They work with ophthalmologists and other physicians to diagnose and treat more complex eye disorders.

The role of an optometrist as an expert witness

Optometry malpractice typically involves failure to diagnose an eye condition or failure to provide a referral to a physician, such as an ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist, for further diagnosis and treatment. In legal cases arising from these situations, a Board Certified optometrist can testify regarding the applicable standard of care and offer an opinion on whether the defendant optometrist met or breached that standard. They can also provide an opinion on whether damage to the eye resulted from malpractice.

Optometrists can also be valuable expert witnesses in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases involving eye injuries and vision loss. They can offer an opinion on causation and explain the long-term prognosis and cost of treatment for the eye injury.

Contact Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants today

Legal matters involving eye injuries and vision loss are often complex, and the right expert witness can make all the difference. Our team has been working with America’s finest attorneys for decades, and our network includes Board Certified optometrists available for consultation and trial testimony. Contact us today for a free case summary review.