An ophthalmologist is a medical professional who deals with the eyes, brain, and areas around the eye. They can perform surgery and identify non-vision-related problems. They differ from optometrists who prescribe glasses or contacts but cannot perform surgery. Ophthalmologists may specialize in certain areas and use techniques such as LASIK for surgery. Other eye care professionals include opticians, ophthalmic medical assistants, technicians, and photographers.
An ophthalmologist, also known as an ophthalmologist, is a medical professional who deals exclusively with parts of the body related to the visual passageways: the eyes, parts of the brain, and areas around the eye, such as the eyelids. This doctor will inspect the eye for disease and may perform surgery in some cases. He may also be able to identify problems not directly related to vision, such as brain tumors or diabetes mellitus.
This eye care professional is different from an optometrist. An ophthalmologist is a fully licensed physician who is qualified to practice surgery, while an optometrist has completed a bachelor’s degree in optometry. Optometrists prescribe glasses or contact lenses for vision problems, but they cannot perform surgery.
Sometimes, an ophthalmologist may have a particular specialty, such as diseases of the cornea, retina, and vitreous; glaucoma; eye problems in children; or plastic surgery. He or she may have a more generalized practice, however, and may be involved in vision testing and prescription of corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses, as an optometrist would.
When surgery is needed to correct a vision problem, there are several techniques an ophthalmologist can use. In some cases, you may need to use a scalpel and other invasive tools to remove blockages from your eye; however, recently, laser eye surgery, or LASIK, has become very common.
In the LASIK system, the doctor creates a flap in the patient’s cornea and then uses a high-precision laser to reshape the central section of the cornea, improving the patient’s vision. The technique is based on an advanced eye tracking system and is much safer than traditional eye surgery. However, it is not always as effective as it should be and some reports indicate that up to 18% of patients needed to return for another treatment.
In addition to the ophthalmologist and optometrist, there are many other types of professionals involved in eye care. These include opticians, who design and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses; ophthalmic medical assistants, who assist doctors with general procedures; ophthalmic technicians, who assist with more advanced surgical procedures; and ophthalmic photographers, who take photographic images to document the quality of a patient’s eye.
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