What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?
Many people are unaware of the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist, often intermixing the two terms. If you too happen to be someone that falls in this category, you shouldn’t be worried as this is a common issue. In many cases, it has been observed that people normally think both of these terms refer to the same profession, which is not necessarily true. While there are some similarities, there are certain things that only one of these professionals is qualified to perform. Hopefully, you should be able to figure out which kind of doctor you will need by the time you finish this article.
An optometrist is someone that is qualified to provide low level eye care. This might include things like prescribing glasses or contact lenses, examine and identify eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts as well as some retinal disease, diagnose hypertension or diabetic conditions that might affect the eyes or even treat visual conditions like myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism. So, if your requirements fall into one of these categories, this is the kind of doctor you would probably want to think more about. However, if your eye requirements are more complex, you should consider consulting with an ophthalmologist.
The ophthalmologist is an eye doctor that specializes in medical care for the eye. A person with this title would have normally done 4 years of medical school along with a year of internship as well as 3 years of residency in ophthalmology. The eye doctor will typically receive training in all aspects of eye care that includes prevention, detection and surgical as well as medical treatment of eye conditions and illnesses. They might also go on to spend an extra year trying to train in a specific area of the eye which could give them a specialization that could help them know more about that particular area of the eye.
These specialty areas include cornea and external diseases, glaucoma, ophthalmic plastic surgery, vitreotinal diseases and pediatric ophthalmology. By going in for any one of these specializations, ophthalmologists are able to become experts in that particular area which gives them the upper edge in diagnosing and treating these particular conditions. So, if you have a condition that falls in one or more of these categories, it is strongly recommended that you consider opting in for surgery which could potentially help in ensuring that you are able to see again clearly without problems.
Hopefully, you should now be aware of the different kinds of eye care specialists and know when to go in for an optometrist and when you will be able to benefit from choosing in for an ophthalmologist. In this manner, you will not end up going in for someone that is not capable of helping you accurately understand your condition or might not help you much. Be sure to look up for the right eye practitioner to ensure that you get the bevy of services. Typically, consultations with ophthalmologists cost more than the optometrists.
Optometrist in El Sobrante CA . and Optometrist in Pinole CA. please don’t hesitate to call Optometry By The Bay!
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