Eye health resource
Optometrist vs. Ophthalmologist vs. Optician: Who Should You See?
Learn the difference between optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians, what each type of eye-care professional does, and which one may be appropriate for your needs.
Reviewed for accuracy by Justin Bazan, OD on .
Eye care involves several different professions, and the titles can be confusing. The right person to see depends on whether you need a routine eye exam, glasses or contact lenses, evaluation of an eye problem, surgery, or help selecting and fitting eyewear.
What is an optometrist?
An optometrist (OD) is an eye doctor trained to examine the eyes, diagnose refractive problems, prescribe glasses and contact lenses, and evaluate and manage many eye-health conditions.
Depending on the patient’s needs and the doctor’s scope of practice, optometric care can include:
- comprehensive eye examinations
- glasses and contact-lens prescriptions
- contact-lens fitting, including specialty lenses
- pediatric eye care
- myopia management
- evaluation of red eye, dry eye, eye pain, and other symptoms
- diagnosis and monitoring of conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic eye disease, and retinal or optic-nerve abnormalities
- referral and co-management when surgical or subspecialty care is needed
Scope-of-practice rules vary by state, so the exact services an optometrist may provide can differ by location.
Park Slope Eye is an optometric practice. Our doctors provide comprehensive, contact-lens, pediatric, myopia-management, and medical eye-care evaluations and coordinate referral when a patient’s condition requires another level of care.
What is an ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist (MD or DO) is a physician who specializes in medical and surgical eye care.
Ophthalmologists can perform eye examinations and manage eye disease, and they are the clinicians who perform procedures such as cataract surgery, retinal surgery, glaucoma surgery, corneal surgery, and many other ophthalmic operations.
Some ophthalmologists practice broadly, while others complete additional fellowship training in areas such as retina, cornea, glaucoma, pediatrics, neuro-ophthalmology, or oculoplastics.
You may be referred to an ophthalmologist when surgery is being considered, when a condition requires subspecialty management, or when the nature or severity of a problem calls for physician-level ophthalmic care.
What is an optician?
An optician is an eyewear professional who helps fill an eyeglass prescription. Depending on training and local rules, opticians may help with frame selection, lens measurements, fitting, adjustments, and dispensing finished eyewear.
Opticians are not eye doctors. They do not perform comprehensive eye examinations or diagnose eye disease.
Who should you see for a routine eye exam?
For most people who need a comprehensive eye examination, updated glasses or contact lenses, or routine eye-health evaluation, an optometrist is an appropriate starting point.
A comprehensive exam can determine whether the issue is primarily refractive, related to eye health, or something that should be referred to an ophthalmologist or another specialist.
Who should you see for cataract surgery or another eye operation?
Surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist. An optometrist may identify the condition, monitor it, discuss when a surgical consultation makes sense, refer to an appropriate surgeon, and participate in pre- or postoperative co-management when appropriate.
For example, Park Slope Eye can identify and monitor cataracts but does not perform cataract surgery in the office.
What if you have a sudden or serious eye problem?
The most important issue is timely evaluation, not the title on the door.
Symptoms such as sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, a curtain or shadow in the vision, flashes with a sudden increase in floaters, significant trauma, chemical exposure, or a painful red eye with reduced vision can require urgent assessment.
Depending on the situation and availability, the appropriate destination may be an optometrist, ophthalmologist, emergency department, or another urgent eye-care setting. Our urgent eye guidance explains symptoms that should not wait for routine scheduling.
How do you choose the right eye-care practice?
Beyond professional title, look for a practice that is appropriate for the problem you are trying to solve. Useful questions include:
- Does the practice routinely manage the type of concern I have?
- Can it perform the testing likely to be useful?
- Does the doctor explain findings and options clearly?
- If referral is needed, does the practice coordinate with the appropriate ophthalmic specialist?
- Is the practice transparent about fees, insurance, and what testing is being recommended?
A good eye-care relationship does not require one office to do everything. It requires the right evaluation, clear communication, and referral when another clinician is better suited to the next step.
At Park Slope Eye, you can learn more about our comprehensive eye exams, Medical Eye Care, and care team.
The short version: optometrists examine, diagnose, prescribe, and manage many eye problems; ophthalmologists are physicians who also perform eye surgery; opticians help make and fit eyewear from a prescription. The right starting point depends on what you need.