Optometrist: Difference with Ophthalmologist and Optician, Career and Types
Who is an Optometrist?
An individual who practices the occupation of eyesight measurement, prescribe corrective lenses as well as detect eye disease, is known as an optometrist.
- They receive training for detecting defects in vision if any; seek for injuries and abnormalities and general health issues such as diabetes and blood pressure. Their role is to assess one’s health, give clinical advices apart from prescribing contact lenses or spectacles and referring for further treatments.
- In order to be an optometrist, a person needs to study for three years at university during the period of which clinical training is offered and its practice is assessed.
- They generally detect glaucoma, eye diseases such as myopia and hypermetropia, and also suggest contact lenses and also provide vision therapy such as low vision rehabilitation.
How is an Optometrist Different from an Ophthalmologist and Optician?
The ophthalmologist, optician and optometrist are the different professional dealing with eye care. Although all deal with the same thing, the difference lies in their training level and expertise.
- While ophthalmologist is a medical doctor or an osteopathic specialist, optometrist deals with primary vision. The former has the license to practice both medicine and surgery. Optician does not have the right to diagnose any problem related to the eye.
- Ophthalmologist is an M.D. who diagnoses and treats all eye related diseases after a practice of no less than eight years. An Optometrist deals in sight testing, management of changes in vision. Ophthalmologist undergoes an in – depth training as a sub specialist. The areas of subspecialty ranges from glaucoma, pediatrics, neurology to retina, plastic surgery and cornea. Optometrist performs exams related to vision, prescribe lens or medicine. Opticians on the other hand deal with verification of lens that is to be incorporated in eye glasses, verify and fit them into frames.
How to become an Optometrist?
 |
| Optometrist |
The steps that can lead a person to become a successful optometrist are as follows:
- The first step towards becoming an optometrist is to acquire a degree from college in biological science or any other pre- medical science. Certain schools allow education of three years post-secondary with Zoology or Biology, Physics, Maths, Chemistry and English courses.
- An admission test on Optometry is to be passed. The admission test is a computerized one comprising subjects like Physics, Reading Comprehension, Science and Quantitative Reasoning.
- After passing the entrance exam, a four-year degree course in optometry has to be completed by an aspiring optometrist, which includes Anatomy, Optics, Visual Science and Physiology.
- After passing the exams of the course on optometry, all sections in the National Board of Examiners has to be passed. Certain states require passing a clinical exam or a law exam.
- A license is then provided to practice as an optometrist in all states. Optometrists also work as postsecondary teachers in many states, and they also sometimes have their own private practices, with business and marketing professionals, or work as consultants in eye care industries or small eye care units.
Types of Optometrist
The different types of optometrist based on their area of working are as follows:
- Community Optometrist: They are meant to work on high streets. Their role is to carry out eye exams on patients of different ages and different eye conditions and advise them accordingly.
- Hospital Optometrist: An optometrist working in a hospital work as a part of a team who provides specialist support.
- Researcher: An optometrist who deals with unknown areas of eye problems by extending their knowledge beyond the known facts is known as a researcher.
So, these are the precise differences between an ophthalmologist and optometrist, it is a lucrative profession and the person can also serve the people of the community with this profession.
No comments :