The jobs & responsibilities of opticians, optometrists & ophthalmologists 

Opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists are closely linked. In general, an optician has to be trained in a technical school or through apprenticeship. The job of opticians is all about eyeglasses and contact lenses, they teach how to care, apply, and remove them to the patients who need to wear eyeglasses because they have been prescribed by their optometrist who is an eye doctor.

Opticians are not eye doctors

The job of repairing, adjusting & fitting eyeglasses and contact lenses are also associated with opticians however, they are not allowed to check the eyesight and advise the glasses accordingly. Still, since opticians are eye care professionals, they are intimately connected with optometrists and ophthalmologists who are eye doctors while opticians are not eye doctors.

Optometrists are eye doctors

Like optometrist who is an eye the doctor though, an optician is not allowed to perform eye surgery which can only be performed by an ophthalmologist. Opticians are not licensed nor are they trained with a few exceptions in some states of America.

An optometrist is more expert then an ophthalmologist to treat most of the eye problems through medicines, and on the other hand, an ophthalmologist takes the lead in performing eye surgery over optometrist. An optometrist has the ability to correct problems with vision by prescribing low vision aids, contact lenses, vision therapy, and eyeglasses.

Can opticians perform an eye exam?

Please, not that you are not supposed to allow an optician to perform your eye exam. An optometrist has to complete their OD degree following optometry school and college for four years of education and training course.

Concluding words

An optometrist executes treatment for almost all kinds of eye health conditions through medications such eye drops after they diagnose problems with their patients' vision. So, an optometrist is an eye doctor who treats their patients without being able to perform surgeries if so needed.