There are many people who don't know the differences between ophthalmology and optometry. Although a lot of patients believe the two terms are interchangeable, the differences between the two fields are actually quite substantial.
Someone who practices optometry is not a qualified medical physician, while someone who practices ophthalmology is. Optometry deals with the eyes, visual system, vision, and vision information processing. On the other hand, ophthalmology is an actual branch of medicine that focuses on surgery and diseases affecting visual pathways. These include the eye, areas that surround the eye, the brain, the eyelids, and more.
An ophthalmologist is trained in eye surgery and managing ocular diseases. He or she has to undergo eight years of education as well as up to another four years of surgical residency. They are required to continually take education courses in order to maintain their licenses.
They usually need to first obtain a bachelor's degree, pass a rigorous examination, and then gain acceptance to a medical school. Once this happens, he or she will then attend classes, participate in clinical assignments, and undergo several other methods of training in general health and medicine for four years. Upon graduation, he or she will have to complete a one-year general medicine clinical residency program and then a three-year residency in the field. Many doctors in this field will then choose to participate in fellowships for up to three more years.
On the other hand, optometrists are trained in disease management and primary eye care. They have to undergo a total of eight years of education after high school, but they are also required to take continuing education courses in order to maintain a license.
Optometrists also have to obtain a bachelor's degree and then pass an examination. Upon passing the test, they then need to be accepted in an optometry school, where they will take four years of classes and training. They will also work in medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics. After they graduate, they will then have a choice of either obtaining a license and immediately going to work or furthering their training through a residency program. This residency usually lasts a year and includes additional hands-on training regarding glaucoma and other diseases.
A physician who practices ophthalmology will typically refer a patient to an optometrist for vision therapy and fittings for contacts or eyeglasses. There are some states where optometrists are allowed to treat glaucoma and other eye diseases as long as they earn a certificate or license. In most cases, there are specific lists of drugs and therapeutic medications they are able to prescribe. Some optometrists are qualified to perform certain minor surgical procedures such as removing a foreign object from a patient's eye. However, in nearly all other instances, an optometrist will refer a patient to an ophthalmology practitioner.
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