Who’s there to take care of your eyes?
There are different types of eye care professionals, so there’s always someone to turn to. Each of them provides different services and expertise, however, depending on what you need. Let’s take a look at who’s who exactly.
Ophthalmologist – your eye doctor
Out of all the eye specialists, the ophthalmologist is the only one with a medical degree. They’ve studied medicine and specialised in eye health. This means that, first and foremost, they can diagnose and treat all sorts of eye conditions, perform eye surgery and deal with health problems. So, for eye diseases and serious issues, ophthalmologists are your go-to.
Of course, they are also able to prescribe and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems.
Optometrist
This eye care specialist has studied optometry and deals with vision problems. They aren’t medical doctors and can therefore not perform surgery, treat eye diseases or prescribe heavy medication. They can perform routine eye examinations, test your vision, diagnose certain conditions and measure your vision defects. Based on their measurements, they’ll prescribe corrective contact lenses or eyeglasses. So, if you’re in need of vision correction, you can turn to an optometrist.
Optician
Once you’ve received a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, you can visit your optician. Their main focus lies in designing devices that correct vision and finding the right fit. They’ll help you with trying on frames, adjusting eyeglasses, modifying lenses or choosing the right contact lenses and accessories. They know all about eyewear products and will make sure to follow the ophthalmologist or optometrist’s instructions.
An optician cannot conduct an eye examination.
Contactologist
This term is not widely used or known and is considered an informal variation among the eye care professionals. This could be either an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. They mostly specialise in the professional application of contact lenses. They have a thorough knowledge of contact lenses and their accessories. A contactologist often also demonstrates, in detail, how to insert and remove lenses and provides you with useful advice and tips on contact lens care.
And just like that, you know who to go to with your eye care problems, needs or questions. Of course, make sure to take care of your eyes yourself as well. Eat healthy, give your eyes some well deserved rest from time to time and deal with issues as soon as they present themselves.
Lastly, in case you’re looking to treat your eyes with some of the best contact lenses, simply try TopVue lenses!