Optometrist vs Ophthalmologist
An optometrist and an ophthalmologist are both types of eye care
professionals, also known as eye doctors. Optometrists provide primary
vision care, such as eye exams and prescriptions. Whereas an
ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in eye care, trained
to treat more advanced eye conditions.
It is important to
understand the key differences between these two eye doctors so you know
which professional is most suited to helping you with your eye health.
Optometrist
What is an Optometrist?
An optometrist, also known as a Doctor of Optometry (OD), is a health
professional who provides essential eye care services. An optometrist is
often the first point of contact when it comes to eye health. They are
trained to provide you with a range of important services from eye exams
and prescribing glasses, to treating vision issues and eye diseases.
They do not perform eye surgery.
An optometrist will have a
Doctorate of Optometry and will be registered with the provincial
optometry board relevant to the area in which they will be practicing.
Source: University of Waterloo
What does an Optometrist do?
Most optometrists in Canada can provide the following services:
- Perform eye exams.
- Diagnose, manage and treat vision problems, red eyes and eye infections.
- Write prescriptions for eyeglasses.
- Provide eye health advice to patients.
- They may refer you to an ophthalmologist if needed.
- They may also provide pre- and post-surgical eye care.
What are the education requirements for an Optometrist?
Here in Canada, the process of becoming an optometrist can take some time. You will first have to complete an undergraduate degree, often in the sciences. You will then complete an additional university doctorate degree, a Doctorate of Optometry (OD). Once you have graduated, you may undergo some time in residency. To begin practice, you will have to pass the provincial board requirements of the area in which you will be practicing.
When should you see an Optometrist?
It is recommended that you see your optometrist for a regular eye
examination every 1-2 years or as advised otherwise. This allows your
optometrist to keep on top of your eye health and detect any vision
issues as soon as possible. You may also see an optometrist for an
assessment on an eye injury or follow-up care after eye surgery.
You should see an optometrist if you notice any recent vision changes
such as sore eyes, blurred vision, eye strain or headaches.
If
you need an eye exam, find your nearest Oscar Wylee location using our
store locator page. Be
sure to bring your health card to every appointment for any possible
provincial coverage.
Ophthalmologist
What is an Ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist is a doctor of medicine who specializes in
optometry. This means they are qualified to provide advanced
visual care. This can include the treatment of serious eye
conditions like advanced glaucoma. They are also licensed to
perform eye surgery.
If you think you may need to see
an ophthalmologist, speak to your health care provider or see an
optometrist for further advice.
What does an Ophthalmologist do?
The main job of an ophthalmologist is to diagnose, treat and manage serious eye conditions. These include cataracts, advanced glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. They can also help in the treatment of eye damage caused by injury or inflammation and perform surgery to correct vision issues. Eye surgeries that an ophthalmologist may perform include cataract surgery and ocular plastic surgery.
Types of Ophthalmologists
All ophthalmologists will be given training to provide the same general services, from medical eye care such as surgery to the identification and treatment of eye diseases. However, they may specialize in certain areas.
- General ophthalmologists – These ophthalmologists are trained to provide comprehensive eye care services. However, they may refer patients with conditions such as advanced glaucoma, to a specialist in that area.
- Glaucoma specialists – These ophthalmologists treat glaucoma, a condition in which the optic nerve is damaged, causing vision problems.
- Neuro-ophthalmologists – Neurology relates to the brain and the nervous system. When there is a problem with either of these, it can sometimes cause vision issues. A neuro-ophthalmologist is trained to treat these specific vision problems.
- Pediatric specialists – Are ophthalmologists that specialize in eye care for infants and children.
- Retinal specialists – These ophthalmologists focus on identifying and managing eye diseases that affect the retina, such as diabetic retinopathy.
- Corneal specialists – Are ophthalmologists that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of eye problems related to the cornea, the layer at the front of the eye. Cornea problems include dry eyes and corneal disorders.
What are the education requirements for an Ophthalmologist?
As an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in eye care, they first have to complete the appropriate education and training to qualify as a doctor. After this, they will have to undergo several years of ophthalmology education. This includes 1 year of basic clinical training and an ophthalmology residency lasting a minimum of 5 years.
When should you see an Ophthalmologist?
Ophthalmologists specialize in more advanced eye care. This means they
will not often be the first point of contact if you are having eye
problems. You will generally first see an optometrist or a health care
provider such as a doctor, who may refer you to an ophthalmologist if
they believe you need additional eye care they cannot provide.
There
are some symptoms that may indicate to an optometrist or health care
provider that you may need to see an ophthalmologist, including:
- Loss of vision
- Changes to your field of vision, such as blurriness, shadows and dark spots.
- Eye pain
- Changes in how you see colour
How to choose the right eye doctor
Optometrists and ophthalmologists are both important people in your eye care team. They each provide services that help to maintain and manage eye health. However, not all services may be relevant to you and your eye care needs, so it is important to know which eye doctor is right for you. Take a look at the common eye care services below and see which eye doctor is best suited to your needs.
Eye Exams
Optometrists and ophthalmologists are both trained to perform eye exams. However, an optometrist is the best option for routine eye exams as their expertise lies in general, first point of contact vision care. It is recommended that you get a routine eye exam at least once every 2 years. If you are in need of a routine eye exam, you can book an appointment using our online booking page.
Prescriptions
An optometrist will be able identify vision issues and write prescriptions for glasses to manage these issues as needed.
Eye conditions
Your optometrist may be able to identify eye conditions during an eye exam and treat them with prescription glasses. If the condition identified is beyond their expertise, they will refer you to an ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologists can treat a range of advanced eye conditions such as cataracts.
Eye surgeries
An ophthalmologist is the eye doctor licensed to perform eye surgeries. Optometrists can not provide eye surgery. If you have an advanced eye condition such as cataracts and require surgery to manage the symptoms, an ophthalmologist is the best eye doctor for the job.
Why are Optometrists the most commonly seen eye doctors?
Aside from routine eye exams, most patients select an optometrist because of the following reasons:
- Optometrists are trained to provide first contact, primary vision care from eye exams and prescriptions, to managing eye conditions. Most people will see an optometrist and if needed, move on to an ophthalmologist.
- Optometrists are more readily available, both in terms of geographic location and appointment waiting list times.
- You will often need a referral from an optometrist or healthcare provider before seeing an ophthalmologist.
- A routine eye exam conducted by an optometrist is likely to be more affordable than an eye exam provided by an ophthalmologist.
Eye Exams for children
Not all optometrists will provide eye exams to children. If your child
requires an eye exam, it is best to first check with your local Oscar
Wylee store before making any appointments.
It is
recommended that children have at least one eye exam before they start
school, or at the recommendation of an optometrist. Please check our
Eye Exam information page to learn more
about eye exams for children.
Source: Canadian Association of Optometrists