Whats the difference between an ophthalmologist, a pediatric ophthalmologist, an optometrist, and an optician?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who have graduated from medical school and who specialize in eye care and eye surgery. Ophthalmologists can diagnose and treat eye diseases; do eye exams; prescribe medications, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and perform surgery. Pediatric ophthalmologists have additional training in surgical and medical treatment of eye disease in children. Optometrists are not medical doctors but doctors of optometry, trained and licensed to examine the eyes and diagnose and treat vision problems with glasses, contacts, and therapy. Optometrists can also prescribe some medications. Opticians make and dispense glasses and other optical items. They’re trained to fill the lens prescription provided by the ophthalmologist or the optometrist, in much the same way that pharmacists fill doctor’s prescriptions.
