Both an optometrist and an ophthalmologist work in the eye care field which can make it difficult for many people to distinguish between the two, though there are a substantial amount of differences when you start to look closely. Ophthalmologists are known as professionals that specialize in eye conditions and medical disorders, whereas an optometrist checks the quality of your eyes and determines whether you should be prescribed corrective lenses.
The Education of an Ophthalmologist
The first difference to take into account is the type of education that you will need as an ophthalmologist. Since they are physicians, they are licensed to practice medicine whereas an optometrist is not. After their undergrad educational career, an ophthalmologist will have to attend medical school and generally graduate from a 4 year program. After that, they will be required to attend a surgical or medical training program for at least a year and then an additional 3 years in a residency program. During this time, they will be trained to diagnose and treat eye conditions along with giving preventative treatments to their clients.
An optometrist, on the other hand, isn’t classified as a doctor but they can practice optometry. In most cases you will need to complete a 4 year program in a university or college to get a degree in optometry, but there isn’t a need to attend medical school after a student has completed their undergraduate degree.
The Treatment Process
Aside from education, there are differences in terms of the treatments that you can receive from both ophthalmologists and optometrists. In most cases, an optometrist will analyze your eyes and determine if you are at-risk or developing different types of eye conditions. They will work towards prescribing you corrective lenses to help repair your vision. In the event that you need a type of treatment aside from corrective lenses such as surgery, you will be referred to a specialist, also known as an ophthalmologist. As a medical doctor (and in some cases a surgeon), your ophthalmologist will be able to physically repair your vision, mostly with the assistance of a laser.
Another thing to remember is that depending on the severity of your eye condition, you may be referred to an ophthalmologist in order to make sure that your diagnosis can be confirmed by a medical doctor instead of your optometrist. They can also assist you with providing preventative advice to ensure that you don’t experience future eye conditions.
