Types of Eye Care Specialists

There are three types of vision specialists: opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists.

Optician

An optician makes, verifies and delivers lenses, frames and other specially fabricated optical devices and/or contact lenses upon prescription (from an optometrist or ophthalmologist) to the intended wearer. The opticians' functions include prescription analysis and interpretation; determination of the lens forms best suited to the wearers needs; the preparation and delivery of work orders for the grinding of lenses and the fabrication of eye wear; the verification of the finished ophthalmic products; and the adjustment, replacement, repair and reproduction of previously prepared ophthalmic lenses, frames and other specially fabricated ophthalmic devices. Certification by the American Board of Opticianry or the National Contact Lens Examiners is optional. Some states have regulatory agencies that license opticians.

Optometrists

The professional practice consisting of examination of the eyes to evaluate health and visual abilities, diagnosis of eye diseases and conditions of the eye and visual system, and provision of necessary treatment by the use of eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other functional, optical, surgical, and pharmaceutical means as regulated by state law.

Optometrists have an undergraduate degree plus a minimum of four years of training in optometry school. They are known as a doctor of Optometry and have the initials O.D. following his or her name.

Ophthalmologist

Ophthalmologists are doctors that specialize in the medical and surgical care of the eyes and visual system, and also in the prevention of eye disease and injury. They can be either doctors of medicine (M.D.) or doctors of osteopathy (D.O.).

An ophthalmologist has completed four years of pre-medical undergraduate education, four years of medical school, one year of internship, and three or more years of specialized medical and surgical training in eye care. As a qualified specialist, an ophthalmologist is licensed by a state regulatory board to diagnose, treat, and manage conditions affecting the eye and visual system. An ophthalmologist is qualified to deliver total eye care, meaning vision services, eye examinations, medical and surgical eye care, and diagnosis and treatment of disease and visual complications that are caused by other conditions, like macular degeneration.