Each region of the human body has a medical specialty focused on treating the pathologies of this area of the body. In this way, the specialist, for example in the heart, is the cardiologist, however when we talk about the health of our eyes, we find that there are several denominations that lend themselves to confusion: ophthalmologist, oculist or optician-optometrist.
Who do you have to go to? What does each of these specialists do? Is visual and ocular health the same? These are just some of the many questions that are asked daily by countless people who, faced with eye discomfort, do not know which specialist they should visit. That's why in Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We explain the difference between ophthalmologist, oculist and optometrist.
Difference between ophthalmologist, oculist and optician-optometrist
Let's start by saying that Ophthalmologist and Oculist, designate the same person, the specialist in diagnosing and treating diseases of the visual apparatus, which includes the eyes, annexes (Eyelidsextraocular muscles and tear apparatus) and the optic pathway to the brain.
There are two words with the same meaning because they have maintained their two etymological origins, one comes from the Greek, ophthalmologist and the other from Latin, oculist. Ophthalmology, from the Greek όφθαλμός / oftalmós / "ojo" and λόγος / lógos / "estudio" and Oculista: comes from the Latin Oculus, nominative and Oculi, genitive and plural. That is to say, Oculus is eye and Oculi is Eyes or of the eye thus, Oculist is the doctor of the eyes according to the Latin etymology.
The ophthalmologist or oculist is a person who has graduated in medicine and has subsequently studied ophthalmology and even now, with the complexity that the specialty of ophthalmology has acquired, they usually subspecialize in some of the areas that constitute it, such as the glaucoma, the retina, cornea, Cataracts, refractive surgery or also areas adjacent to other medical specialties, such as oftalmopediatria, neurophthalmology, oculoplastic, etc.
However, between a ophthalmologist / oculist and an optometrist, yes there is a difference, The optometrist is also called an Optician, and the main difference is that he is not a doctor. The National College of Opticians and Optometrists defines him as a professional in the world of vision “who has the triple aspect of preventing, detecting and solving visual problems. His ultimate goal is to get the most visual performance with minimal fatigue. To do this, it studies, in addition to the refractive state of the eyes, aspects that may have somehow influenced visual development and learning, possible binocular dysfunctions, habits in terms of posture and reading distance, surroundings or environment: lighting, furniture, colors, etc.
While the ophthalmologist or oculist attends patients in his office, clinic or hospital and diagnoses both eye diseases and vision problems, the optometrist usually attends clients who go to an optician establishment, where he performs a vision study, from the point of view of physical sight, to determine the presence of visual disorders and their possible correction by means of glasses, contact lenses or exercises of visual therapy.
The optometrist, not being a doctor, can not perform complex diagnoses of diseases or treatments that involve prescribing medications, laser application or surgery. However, in recent years, the optometrist receives better training in clinical aspects and together with the arrival of new technologies, allows them to reveal certain diseases, acting as a first filter for the detection of pathologies that can lead to blindness, warning of that they should see an ophthalmologist.
The ophthalmologist, due to his more complete training, can also perform the functions of the optometrist but, due to the growing complexity and the need for subspecialization, they usually distribute the functions, so that both professionals usually collaborate together. The ophthalmologist most involved in the clinical part and the optometrist in the vision part.
To understand better the difference between ophthalmologist, eye doctor and optometrist It is important to be clear about the functions of each of these health professionals.
When should we go to an ophthalmologist?
As we have said before, the ophthalmologist is a doctor specialized in ophthalmology, that is, in everything that concerns diseases of the eyes and appendages. before a loss of vision, ocular pain, Red eye, tearing, Dry Eye or any eye tumor or appendages, you must go to the ophthalmologist, since it may be a process that can affect vision, even irreversibly.
In the same way, if we want to carry out a complete review of the eye apparatus, especially when there is a history of diseases that may have a genetic component or, if we want to undergo treatment to cure an eye disease, it should be the ophthalmologist who must perform that treatment. especially when it comes to administering drugs or surgical treatments such as LASIK laser, trauma, retinal detachment, burns and cataract removal.
Although the knowledge of an ophthalmologist also allows him to diagnose and correct refractive vision problems and prescribe formulas for glasses or contact lenses, it is not his main task and it is here that he relies on the optometrist.
We recommend a review with the ophthalmologist, once a year in those over 40 years of age and every two years in children and ages up to 40 years.
When to go to the optometrist?
The optometrist is a technician specialized in the mechanisms of vision and the physics of the correction systems for refractive disorders, such as myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism and tired or presbyopic vision. His professional activity is carried out in optical establishments, visual therapy or together with the ophthalmologist in an ophthalmology center.
The optometrist has a very important role in the early detection of eye diseases, since in many cases he will be the first to attend to a person who comes for a checkup of glasses or a visual check-up and with his knowledge, he can reveal a a disease that may end up being properly diagnosed and treated by an ophthalmologist.
Among the functions of the optometrist we highlight:
- vision exams.
- Cataract detection, squint, glaucoma, Diabetic retinopathy y macular degeneration.
- Prevention of eye injuries and diseases.
- prescription and adaptation of glasses and contact lenses.
- High Quality visual therapy and eye exercises.
- Low vision aids.
Now that you know the difference between ophthalmologist, oculist and optician-optometrist, you will know which specialist to go to, depending on the problem or query you want to solve.
En Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We have a complete team that brings together both professionals, ophthalmologists and optometrists, to guarantee your eye and visual health to the maximum. Visit us and check it out!
Gut zu wissen, dass Augenarzt und Optiker nicht gleich sind. Ich wusste nicht, dass ein Optiker kein Arzt ist und daher er keine komplexen Diagnosen oder Behandlungen durchführen kann. Ich interest mich für das Thema und möchte mehr erfahren, als ich gerne im Bereich studieren möchte. Deswegen möchte ich vorher die verschiedenen Berufe und Profilen verstehen. Danke für den Beitrag, sehr hilfreich!
Vielen Dank für Ihren Kommentar. Die Welt der Medizin ist aufregend und als Augenärzte haben wir eine Leidenschaft für die Augenheilkunde.
Wir empfehlen Ihnen, unseren Blog im Auge zu behalten, da wir dort wöchentlich Artikel veröffentlichen.
Regards
Für die Beratung bei der Auswahl meiner Brille war ich beim Optiker. Wie Sie anführen, ist dieser vor allem auf die verschiedenen Funktionsweisen and Ausführung der Korrektursysteme verantwortlich. Bei Beschwerden die das Sehvermögen oder generell das Auge betreffen wähle ich den Gang zum Augenarzt. Vielen Dank für diesen Beitrag.
Estimated
In der Tat ist ein Optiker die richtige Person in der Brille. Wie auch immer, in unserem Augenarztzentrum and in vielen Distrikten haben wir Optiker, die sich um diese Probleme kümmern.
Grüße und danke für deinen Kommentar.
It is interesting to read that an optician is not a doctor. The difference between an ophthalmologist and an optician was not so clear to me. I inform myself about the subject because my son would like to start studying at the campor, but first we must be well informed. Thanks for the explanation!
Hi Florian,
Thank you for your comment. We hope to pass on our passion for medicine and ophthalmology to your child.
A cordial greeting,
Mein Onkel hat mich letztens zum Thema Optiker etwas gefragt, aber ich wusste darüber nichts. Deswegen bin ich echt froh, dass ich diesen Beitrag gefunden habe. Nächstes Mal, wenn ich ihn sehe, kann ich ihm erzählen, was ich hier gelesen habe.
Danke für deinen Kommentar,
Wir werden weiter give arbeiten, die bestmöglichen Informationen zu allem, was mit Augenheilkunde zu tun hat, zu veröffentlichen.
Regards
Very good article, I really liked it. Will you write a part 2?
Thank you for your comment.
We have not considered writing part two of this article since we understand that in this article we answer the questions raised by the difference between an ophthalmologist, an oculist and an optician-optometrist.
Greetings,
Thanks for the explanation about ophthalmologist, optician and optometrist. It's good to know that you should go to an ophthalmologist when it comes to seeing. There are so many areas that can be easily confused. My mother has to go to the ophthalmologist because she needs an eye exam.
Thank you for your comment Dietrich.
Indeed, it is essential to go to the ophthalmologist periodically to avoid any visual problem.
Greetings,
I didn't know that opticians could do preliminary exams and refer people to a doctor. My wife has a lot of problems and therefore she doesn't know where to go. We will probably visit an optician so we can get good advice.
Dear Peter,
In the event that your wife has an eye problem, the best thing to do is to go directly to an ophthalmologist where they will tell you exactly what pathology she has.
Greetings,
Thank you for explaining to us that an optometrist is responsible for eye tests. I think my vision may be a little blurry. I will find an optician so I can have an eye exam to determine the quality of my vision.
Dear Joachim,
Our recommendation is that in case of any vision problem you go to an ophthalmology center where, depending on the examination of the ophthalmologist, he will prescribe the tests that you must carry out. These tests are usually carried out in the ophthalmological center itself and who performs them is an optician.
Greetings,
Thanks for the contribution on the subject of ophthalmologists. I have been looking for information on this for a long time.
Thank you very much for your comment and for reading Otto.