They’re medical professionals, but they didn’t go to medical school. After college, they spent 4 years in a professional program and got a doctor of optometry degree. Some optometrists get additional clinical training after optometry school. They focus on regular vision care and prescribe eyeglasses and contacts. They
- Perform eye exams
- Treat conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
- Prescribe and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses
- Provide low-vision aids and vision therapy
- Diagnose eye conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and conjunctivitis
- Can prescribe most medications (differs by state) for certain eye conditions based on the level of training
- For routine eye surgical conditions where pre- or post-operative care travel to the surgeon can represent hardship for the patient.
It isn’t always clear what kind of insurance coverage you need when something goes wrong with your eyes.
There’s vision coverage and medical coverage – which is which? Don’t mistake the two, they have very different purposes.
Optometry is performed by an optometrist, who is not a medical doctor. An optometrist receives specialized training in how to test vision, prescribe corrective lenses, and to diagnose select eye diseases. They have the initials “O.D.” after their names, referring to “doctor of optometry” – not to be confused for “M.D.”, a medical doctor.