You will meet many people during your visit to Duke. We want you to know a little about everyone’s role on the glaucoma team.
Everyone who works in the clinic wears a nametag with their name and role. Please feel free to ask a team member if you are not clear about that person’s name or role in your care.
Patient Service Assistant
You will meet a patient service assistant when you check in at the front desk. This person will confirm your information and let the clinical team know that you have arrived. The patient service assistant will also schedule your follow-up appointment after your visit is over.
Ophthalmic Technician
Ophthalmic technicians have specialized training in interviewing patients about eye issues. They also perform eye exams, check glasses prescriptions, and talk with the doctor about your eyes.
Technicians are also wonderful resources. They may give you information and tips about managing eye conditions. Ophthalmic technicians are not nurses, but we do have nurses on staff to talk about other medical issues.
The technicians work closely with every member of the clinic staff. They are truly the “glue” that keeps the clinic together.
Visual Field Specialist
You may have your center vision and side vision tested during your visit. These are called “visual fields.” Sometimes a visual field specialist will test your vision, and sometimes your ophthalmic technician will do the test.
Ophthalmic Photographer
Ophthalmic photographers take pictures of the inside of your eyes. They take pictures that your doctor needs to make decisions, including whether you have glaucoma or if your glaucoma is getting worse.
Ophthalmology Resident
You may meet an ophthalmology resident during your visit. Residents are Medical Doctors (MDs) who have graduated from medical school. They help to take care of patients and study eye diseases for three years at Duke.
Residents may interview you and examine your eyes. They often give a summary for the senior doctor. The resident and senior doctor work closely together.
Glaucoma Fellow
Glaucoma fellows are fully trained ophthalmologists who are doing extra training in caring for patients with glaucoma. Fellows work very closely with the senior doctors, helping with all aspects of patient care.
We are very proud of our residents and fellows. We are fortunate to attract the cream of the crop to Duke.
Your Glaucoma Doctor
The senior doctor is your glaucoma doctor. The senior doctor is in charge of your care and manages the rest of the team.
Students
You may meet students during your visit. Students from different disciplines may spend time observing senior doctors. These include medical students, ophthalmic technician students, and even college students who are interested in medical careers.
We believe that education is critical to our mission. That includes educating our patients, ourselves, and learners from all over.
You Can Always Ask Us
You may see several “MDs” during your visit, including residents, fellows, and your glaucoma doctor. We want to make sure that you have the opportunity to learn about everyone’s role in taking care of you.
We are proud of our team and want to continue to improve our service to our patients. You can help us by giving feedback about your interaction with team members either in person, by cards available at the front desk, by mail, or online.