The 4 O's of Eyecare Who Do You See and For What?

The spring and summer seasons are a busy time for eye care professionals, so we thought this was a good time to talk about which eye care professional you see for which eyecare need.

Ophthalmologist: a doctor of medicine who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the eye, in addition to diagnosing systemic disease that manifest in eye signs or symptoms. Ophthalmologists perform operations on eyes, they are considered to be both surgical and medical specialists.

Usually ophthalmologists specialize in only one part of the eye, whether that be cataract removal, cornea, retina, etc. The eye is so complex that one person cannot perform surgery or treatments on more than one part of the eye and be great at it all. Think of them like a heart surgeon vs a dermatologist, you wouldn't want your skin doctor performing your heart surgery now would you? You probably would also not want your heart surgeon to provide you with a prescription for your skin. Most ophthalmologists will no longer give out prescriptions for glasses since this is not their area of expertise. Other great things ophthalmologists can do is injections and use lasers. At the moment optometrists in British Columbia cannot perform injections or use lasers, however some US states do allow it. Dr. Hines was trained in the US and part of her training involved injections and laser treatments, so if optometrists do gain the ability to perform these tasks, Dr. Hines will be ready!

Optometrist: a specialized health care professional that examines the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities.

Believe it or not, optometrists used to not be able to dilate pupils, prescribe topical medications, or help in the treatment of glaucoma. Every year optometrists have been receiving more training and more abilities to shift their focus on eye health as well as continuing to provide excellent glasses/contact lens prescriptions. These days, it’s common practice to routinely see your optometrist annually or biannually for an eye health check up and prescription renewal (think of them like GPs for your eyes); and less common to receive this care from an ophthalmologist. An optometrist is qualified to identify serious medical risks, provide topical treatment for minor ailments and provide a patient with an updated prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. They are also licensed to aid in the healing of minor corneal scratches, allergic reactions, myopia control, and provide vision therapy to individuals who need aid without surgical intervention. Every year, optometrists are required by their governing body to complete continuing education courses to keep them up to date on industry standards, new treatment methods and technologies.

Fun Fact: Did you know that you can get in to see an ophthalmologist with an optometrists referral faster than if you see your GP? A referral from an optometrist is often more informative, allowing for an ophthalmology office to properly triage patients in the order of most serious to routine treatments. While it may be your instinct to go directly to the ER for an urgent eye care need, it is often best to first see an optometrist. If it’s an emergent situation, an optometrist can request their patient to be seen on the same day and 9/10 times an ophthalmologist will see that patient immediately.

Optician: an individual who fits eyeglasses or contact lenses by filling a refractive prescription from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They are also responsible for making lenses and completing repairs.

An optician works in harmony with an optometrist in order to fill prescriptions and manufacture ophthalmic devices. In your local optometry office, this individual will often be the one helping you choose frames and lenses that are best suited to your individual needs. They also provide fittings to ensure your glasses are comfortable, do repairs on the odd chance that your eyeglasses are met with a tragic fate, and are knowledgeable on how lenses function to improve your eyesight. While any medical diagnoses MUST be completed by an optometrist, in some provinces a Licensed Optician is qualified to update a prescription for you without the aid of an optometrist. These exams are often called “Sight Screenings” and are very different than Comprehensive Eye Exams performed by an optometrist. Sight screenings don’t provide any pertinent health information and there is the potential to miss early stages of eye diseases. You may find an optician working a variety of different jobs in the optical field, from working in labs to create the lenses to reps who help clinics keep their patients in fashionable, practical frames. In Canada, opticians are required to go to school to learn optical sciences and take a licensing exam to be accepted under the mantel of “Optician”. They are accepted professionals and are provided with a governing body similar to doctors, teachers and accountants. Opticians are also required to complete continuing education courses to ensure they aren’t using outdated information in their practices.

Optometric Assistant: an individual who performs clinical, administrative, and customer service duties in order to help the optometrist. Often it is the responsibility of the optometric assistant to perform pre-tests prior to seeing the optometrist and sell eye wear when the patient’s eye exam is complete.

An optometric assistant often works in tandem with an optician in terms of patient care and administrative tasks. Pre-testing, gathering insurance information, and performing specialized tests are all tasks completed by an optometric assistant. There are many different types of optometric assistants and their distinction is based on the individual tasks they complete for their employer. They can be found in many capacities in ophthalmology offices, from checking in patients, to performing tests, as well as scribing important medical information for an ophthalmologist as they see patients. Depending on their professional tasks, optometric assistants can also be educated in their specific field and be required to complete continuing education.