Have you ever wondered about your eye doctor’s area of specialization during one of your visits? It’s easy to dismiss them as an expert in dealing with your eyesight and vision concerns. But as it turns out, there are different types of eye care professionals, each with varying levels of training and expertise and are capable of providing different services.
A medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes in eye and vision care is known as an ophthalmologist. This professional diagnoses and treats all eye disorders, conducts surgical procedures and provides eyeglasses and contact lenses prescriptions. To earn their license, these doctors first have to complete four years of medical school, a year of internship and residency at a hospital or medical facility for a minimum of three years. It is also not uncommon for them to spend an extra one to two years training in a specific area of eye care. That’s why you may find an ophthalmologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect infants and children (pediatric ophthalmology) or deals with vision problems related to how the eyes communicate with the rest of the nervous system (neuro-ophthalmology).
Optometrists are eye doctors who specialize in primary vision care, which includes everything from vision testing and correction to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision problems. For optometrists to obtain an optometry (OD) degree, they attend optometry school – not medical school – and may choose to take on four years of postgraduate studies to earn a doctorate. They can practice optometry, which includes providing eye exams and vision tests, prescribing and dispensing corrective lenses, identifying certain eye abnormalities and prescribing treatments for certain eye disorders.
Opticians are technicians who are trained to design, check and fit visual aids, particularly eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses and other vision-correcting equipment. They’re not trained to diagnose eyesight problems nor treat eye conditions. Their main role is to use prescriptions provided by either the ophthalmologist or optometrist to verify and fit the required visual aids.
Alderwood Optical and Canyon Park Vision Clinic serves patients in Bothell, WA, as well as nearby communities. To schedule an appointment with a trusted eye doctor, you may give us a call at (425) 485-0430 or (425) 771-8472. You may also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.