Like an ophthalmologist is a surgeon for the eye and optometrist also takes care of your eyes but not in the same capacity. In fact, an optometrist is not a medical doctor but a health care professional. They are not licensed or qualified to perform surgery but frequently provide pre and post surgery care. They also perform duties such as diagnosis of problems with vision, eye diseases, eyeglasses and corrective contact lenses prescriptions etc. often, optometrists and ophthalmologists go into practice together and co-manage patients.
Of course, the education required to become an optometrist is less than that required for an ophthalmologist, but is tough and rigorous nevertheless. They criteria is that they have to complete a three year study at any university or college (accredited, of course) before beginning their optometrist training.
The next step is a four-year optometry school and when they’ve graduated, board examinations are held in a 2-step process- written and clinical. Master’s degree and Ph.D are also options that quite a few optometrists opt for. A specialized optometrist is able to treat problems relating to the following fields after one-year clinical residency.
• Contact lenses
• Vision therapy
• Primary care optometry
• Geriatric optometry
• Pediatric optometry
• Hospital-based optometry
• Ocular disease
• Family practice optometry
Most optometrists are employed in either private practices or hospitals to cater to a wider patient base. As said before, a partnership of an ophthalmologist and optometrist is beneficial to both the doctors and patients as well.
The duties an optometrist performs include examination of the structure (inner and external) of the eye to check the depth perception, color blindness and other corrections. They also review the ability of a person to see things clearly both upfront and afar. They also diagnose appearance of eye diseases and illness related to the eye.
So if any of these problems plague you ever, an optometrist is who you should go to solve them, quickly and efficiently.