Caring for Your Vision: Different Types of Eye Professionals You Should Know About

When you say “I should see an eye doctor”, a wise guy might retort “So, is it an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or optician that you need?”. The professional you need will depend on your vision problem or needs. To help yourself to the right eye specialist, as well as deal with smart alecks, here are some information to straighten things out.

Ophthalmologists

Take note that ophthalmologists are physicians, which means they went to medical school. They provide total eye care from vision assessments to surgical treatments. They may also have specialties such as pediatric ophthalmology and reconstructive eye surgery.

Optometrists

Optometrists are medical professionals, but are not physicians in the UK and some other countries, but are doctors of Optometry in Canada and the US. They finished a degree in Optometry and serve as primary health care providers. If all you require is an eye exam or new eyeglasses, you can drop by an optometrist's office. Ophthalmologists and optometrists can work together to care for patients.

Optician

An optician is mainly in charge of adjusting, repairing, and checking eye products like eyeglasses and contact lenses. They usually finish a 2-year associate degree or receive formal training from accredited institutions. Opticians fill the prescription of your ophthalmologist or optometrist for certain eye wear or lenses.

Choosing the right eye professional matters. Each has a task and specific role in rendering eye care. Therefore, rather than simply looking for an “eye doctor”, think whether it's an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or optician you need.