A Brief Description Of Various Eyecare Professionals

Believe it or not, there is more than one type of eye specialists in the world. Even though they all treat the same organ, their levels of skills, areas of expertise and job description set them apart from each other. We usually consider an eye specialist to be a person who is responsible for checking the power of the lens, treating several eye diseases, and performing the surgeries. 

However, these responsibilities have been segregated between various eye professionals known as ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. Unfortunately, you may not be aware of the significant differences between these eyecare professionals, because of which you often make mistakes while choosing the correct expert for your eye problem. 

This is why in this article, we have brought forth a brief description where we will talk about the three foremost eye specialists and how they differ from each other. 

Ophthalmology VS Optometry

The two significant branches of eyecare are ophthalmology and optometry. To understand the differences between the professionals and their job roles, you have to understand their medical area of expertise. 

1. Ophthalmology: Ophthalmology is the vast and the most diverse platform related to eye health. This specific branch deals with diagnosing several eye problems and providing the proper treatment that can be in the form of medicines or surgeries. Ophthalmology is concerned with the eye functions study in details, the anatomy of the eye, and all the problems related to various anatomical parts, starting with the outer cornea to the inner blind spot on the retina. 
2. Optometry: On the other hand, optometry is a branch of eyecare science that deals with the inspection of the eye and the vision with several instruments to check whether there is any abnormality in the eye vision. Optometry deals more with the visual quality and strength rather than the internal lying problems of the eyes.  

Eyecare Professionals 

Role Of An Ophthalmologist 

An ophthalmologist is concerned with the eye problems related to both the optical power and the eye ball's inner health. This is why these eyecare professionals are in huge demand, and they have a lot more responsibility than any other eye professional. 

Following are the responsibilities of an ophthalmologist:

• Operating on the eyes if the person loses the vision, suffers an injury in the retina or the internal layers, fluid buildup in the vitreous chamber, and so on. 
• Treating glaucoma and subsequently point out to other underlying health conditions so that proper treatment can be administered immediately. 
• Treating any structural misalignment of the eyeballs in terms of the standard line of vision of humans. 
• Curing complex eye diseases which an optometrist can't do. 

Role Of An Optometrist 

The correct eyecare specialist is expected to deal with all the problems related to the eyes' vision. Let's say you are suffering from hypermetropia, and you can sense a change in the lens's power. Under such scenarios, you will have to visit an optometrist. 

• An optometrist can prescribe medicines for the eyes but only for specific diseases that fall within their expertise area. 
• They are more concerned with providing the correct lenses and spectacle powers for treating the long-distance or short-distance visions. 

Role Of An Optician 

An optician is an eyecare professional concerned with the making of the power of the prescribed lens, and spectacles. They will provide you with the proper medications and types of equipment mentioned in the prescription, be it a photo-chromatic glasses or a pair of high-resolution contact lenses. 

Conclusion 

We have discussed all the three prominent eyecare specialists you will find in an eye care clinic or hospital. Since now you are aware of how they perform their job and which specialist is perfect for what kind of treatment, we are sure that the next time you need a checkup of your eyes, you can easily choose what kind of professional you need.