Whether you’re looking to get your annual eye exam done, considering LASIK or another form of eye surgery, or trying to correct a serious vision problem, you’ve probably had the words “optometrist” and “ophthalmologist” come up when you look to schedule an appointment. While both terms can refer to an “eye doctor,” they’re not interchangeable—these are two separate professions with distinct scopes of practice and areas of expertise.
An optometrist is likely your first point of contact when you’re looking to do a routine eye exam or switch up your contact lenses. An optometrist is also known as a Doctor of Optometry, and serves as a primary care practitioner for eye care. Beyond just determining what prescription you need and whether you’re a good candidate for LASIK surgery, optometrists are qualified to treat patients with eye infections, disorders and diseases. Optometrists undergo four years of post-graduate optometry school and then an optional one-year residency and their medical training is limited to eye care.
Ophthalmologists are trained medical doctors (M.D.s or D.O.s) who specialize in ocular disease management and eye surgery. Beyond being trained to provide a wide spectrum of eye care from prescribing contact lenses to difficult eye surgeries, ophthalmologists must complete four years of medical school, where they receive a complete medical education. After that, they undergo at least three years of a surgical residency, followed by a year or more in a potential subspecialty fellowship. That means that your typical ophthalmologist has received a minimum of 12 years of post-secondary education. While an optometrist can prescribe certain medications and perform basic surgeries, an ophthalmologist can prescribe a broader range of treatments and perform more complex surgeries.
Even though optometry and ophthalmologists are different professions, the two interact with each other regularly. If you require eye care that’s beyond your regular optometrist’s scope of practice, an ophthalmologist will be your “second stop” for further assessment and treatment of ocular diseases like glaucoma or cataracts, particularly in cases that require surgical intervention. At the end of the day, these two types of doctors depend on each other to ensure the patient is getting the best type of eye care for their needs.
Looking for a well-reputed and compassionate ophthalmologist? Contact us today!
