What Does an Optometrist Do?

When it comes to caring for the health of your eyes it can be a bit confusing as to what kind of vision specialist you should see. There are ophthalmologists, opticians and optometrists to choose from. The names may sound similar but these vision professionals provide different forms of eye care.

Ophthalmologists & Opticians

• Ophthalmologists are doctors of medicine who specialize in vision care. In addition to conducting routine eye exams they treat eye conditions and injuries and are trained to perform eye surgery.

  Opticians are referred to as eye specialists and are generally limited to fitting and adjusting eyeglasses. Depending on the state, opticians may be allowed to fit contact lenses according to prescriptions written by ophthalmologists or optometrists.

Optometrist

• The education and responsibilities of an optometrist fall somewhere between those of an ophthalmologist and an optician.

Education

• Optometrists must complete a four-year doctor of optometry degree from an accredited optometry school and pass the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exam to earn a license.

  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the need for optometrists is expected to increase to meet the demands of a growing and aging population.

Basic Duties

• Although optometrists are the primary provider of vision care, they are often limited to conducting vision exams that can identify nearsightedness and farsightedness. They can also prescribe glasses and contact lenses.

Diagnosing Eye Diseases

• Some optometrists will test for eye diseases such as glaucoma, and diagnose conditions caused by systemic diseases (conditions that affect a number of organs and tissues) including high blood pressure and diabetes. They may refer patients to other doctors.

Medications & Other Special Care

• Optometrists regularly prescribe medications to treat eye conditions and assist in the diagnosis of eye problems.

  Although they are unable to perform eye surgery, optometrists can provide preoperative and postoperative care for those who have undergone corrective eye surgery or laser vision treatments.

Specialists & GPs

• The vast majority of optometrists are general practitioners. A few work exclusively with the elderly, children or those who may have only partial eyesight.

  Sometimes optometrists will conduct research or provide consultation services.