Types of Eye Care Providers
It is important to know in the first place that the educational backgrounds of eye
care providers vary depending on whether they are ophthalmologists, optometrists, or opticians. All of them may be
involved with providing corrective lenses for vision common problems such as myopia or hyperopia, but there are
certain differences when it comes to their job.
The ophthalmologists are physicians with medical degrees, designated by an M.D. after their names. They are the
specialists working for surgeries and managing serious eye diseases.
The optometrists are individuals who have designation of O.D. after their names. And, depending on state
regulations where they are located, optometrists may be able to diagnose and manage eye diseases as well as
administer certain prescriptions. They often handle routine eye examinations and prescriptions.
Lastly, the opticians are the ones who prepare and provide corrective lenses according to prescriptions issued by
the optometrists and ophthalmologists. They are the ones whom you can look for when you need prescriptions filled
for glasses and contact lenses. And, they can help you attain the proper fittings for vision correction lenses.
So, you’ve learned the difference between ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. All you need to remember
now is to look for eye care providers who are certified to perform a LASIK eye correction procedure. Note that in
the overall scheme of things, LASIK, PRK or a corneal ring implantation are not as difficult as many other kinds of
surgery, but a bad eye procedure outcome can affect your life almost as negatively as an outcome of a bad heart
operation. That’s why it is critically important to choose the best eye surgeon available.
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