Ophthalmologist and optometrist: what differences are there?

Ophthalmologist and optometrist: what differences are there?

When we suffer from eye discomfort it is important to always go to a specialist to explore and value what treatment we should follow.

Sometimes we find it a bit confusing to know which professional we should go to. Who do we have to ask for a visit with when we have a visual problem? Ophthalmologist or optometrist?

Although an ophthalmologist and an optometrist often work side by side and complement each other to ensure the patient's well-being, each professional performs very different functions and, therefore, their training is also different.

Fig. Eye Exam

What is an ophthalmologist?

An ophthalmologist (or oculist) is a doctor specializing in eye health that is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pathologies related to the eyes and vision, the optical path and the annexes such as eyelids, lacrimal and extra ocular muscles. .

The ophthalmologist and / or oculist must graduate in medicine and then perform the specialization in ophthalmology. This training allows you to access the title of specialist in ophthalmology.

In addition, you can specialize in a specific area called subspecialty (retina, cataract, cornea, glaucoma, etc.). That is, once the specialty of ophthalmology is completed, you can perform complementary studies to treat more specific conditions in certain parts of the eye or in certain types of patients.

Some of the skills of an ophthalmologist are:

1. Visit in consultation for visual exploration, which ranges from measuring visual acuity to complex exploratory procedures.
2. Diagnosis of eye diseases.
3. Medical and surgical treatment of eye diseases.
4. Application of laser and / or surgery.
5. Implantation of intraocular lenses.
6. Performing ophthalmological diagnostic tests.
7. Prescription of drugs.
8. Prevention of visual problems.

What is an optometrist?

Optometry is a healthcare profession that is autonomous, educated, and regulated (licensed/registered), and optometrists are the primary healthcare practitioners of the eye and visual system who provide comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection/diagnosis and management of disease in the eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system.

The optometrist is in charge of detecting the refractive eye alterations, which can be corrected by optical systems (glasses and contact lenses), applies visual therapy, proposes techniques of visual education, contactology and visual hygiene.

Optometrists can work in medical centers with an ophthalmologist, or in an optical establishment.

The functions of an optometrist can be:

1. Detection of a visual loss (first filter before ophthalmological exploration).
2. Develop vision studies.
3. Diagnose and treat diseases
4. Provide low vision services
5. Orthoptic assessment and management 
6. Determine refractive visual disorders and propose their correction.
7. Provide visual therapy and reeducation.
8. Handling of optical instruments.
9. Performing diagnostic tests using image acquisition equipment.
10. Prescription and adaptation of eye glasses and / or glasses.

When should we go to the ophthalmologist?

Before any discomfort, pain, loss of vision or signs of eye disease, you should go to the ophthalmologist, as it is the professional who can address any type of problem you have with the vision, the eye or the external area of ​​the eye.

In case of suffering from any pathology such as a cataract, glaucoma, retinal detachment or ocular degeneration, it must always undergo an assessment by a doctor specializing in ophthalmology.

Also, if you want to perform a periodic review of the visual system or if you want to perform some type of correction surgery, it will be necessary for an ophthalmologist to do an exploration and establish the most appropriate treatment for you.

In case of having a family history or pathologies associated with other eye diseases, it is also recommended that you go regularly to the ophthalmologist to perform controls.

When should we go to the optometrist?

Optometrists are primary eye care practitioners. optometrist plays a key role in primary, secondary and tertiary eye care services. You can go to the optometrist when you want to treat your eye disease, graduate your eyesight and adapt lenses or glasses, you must perform visual therapy and eye exercises or have a low vision problem. 

Usually, the optometrist visits a patient first when he goes for an ophthalmological examination.

After the ophthalmologic examination at the hands of the doctor, it is possible that this derives again from an optometrist if he considers that the most appropriate treatment to stop or treat the disorder in question requires an optical or optometric treatment.