What Are the Types of Eye Doctors?
Eye doctors are healthcare providers who are professionally trained to care for the eyes as well as the entire visual system. There are several different types of eye doctors. Some eye doctors fit patients for corrective lenses while others perform complex eye surgeries. The type of eye doctor a person should see depends on what kind of eye care he/she needs.
Other People Are Reading
-
Optometrists
-
Optometrists are considered the general practitioners of eye healthcare. Professional optometrists are trained and licensed to examine, diagnose, treat and manage eye diseases and vision disorders. An optometrist prescribes eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. This doctor also identifies various eye conditions, such as retinal diseases, glaucoma and cataracts, and treats these disorders with non-surgical methods. An optometrist is not a medical doctor (MD) but holds a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree.
Ophthalmologists
-
Ophthalmologists, also called oculists, are eye doctors who specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of the eyes and the visual system. An ophthalmologists is either a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) or a Doctor of Medicine (MD). Ophthalmologists are licensed by their state's ophthalmology regulatory board to provide the full spectrum of eye care services, including giving routine eye exams, prescribing corrective lenses and removing ocular tumors. Many ophthalmologists specialize in a specific area of eye care, such as cornea and refractive ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology or oculoplastics, which is eye socket and eyelid plastic surgery.
-
Opticians
-
An optician is an eye care professional who evaluates and fills the prescriptions written by optometrists and ophthalmologists. An optician helps to treat vision disorders and ocular diseases by making, fitting, dispensing, repairing and replacing corrective eyewear, such as contact lenses, glasses, low-vision aids and artificial eyes, or ocular prostheses. Opticians must either graduate from a professional training program or complete an apprenticeship. Most states require opticians to be certified or licensed.
Orthopists
-
Orthopists are eye care specialists who work with ophthalmologists to evaluate and treat eye disorders involving eye movement and eye alignment. Orthopists frequently help patients overcome or manage ocular conditions such as crossed eyes, double vision and lazy eye, which is medically referred to as amblyopia. Although orthopists work with patients of all ages, the majority of their patients are school-age children. Orthopists help ophthalmologists develop treatment plans utilizing eye exercises, eye patches, eye drops or special glasses.
Considerations
-
Vision and eye health is extremely important, so individuals should be proactive in their eye healthcare choices. Individuals should undergo routine eye exams every other year to ensure optimal eye health and vision accuracy. Before making an appointment with any eye doctor, a person needs to make sure the doctor has the training and experience to meet their eye care needs. Individuals who need just a routine eye exam will probably be satisfied seeing an optometrist while diabetics should probably choose an experienced ophthalmologist who specializes in retinal care. All eye doctors should be licensed by the state in which they practice.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit Creative Commons photo by Kevin Yezbick
