Optometrists are Primary care practitioners for all vision and ocular health concerns. They are trained to diagnose, manage, and treat a multitude of visual and ocular health-related concerns, including, but not limited to, fitting and prescribing spectacles and contact lenses, treating ocular injuries, diagnosing and treating diseases such as Glaucoma and diagnosing others such as Diabetic retinopathy. In Oklahoma, optometrists have successfully lobbied for legislative rights to perform certain laser procedures.
A common misconception is that optometrists only prescribe corrective lenses. While they are experts in determining one's refractive error and prescribing the appropriate correction, in the United States they are often the gateway into eye care for most eye problems. Optometrists perform comprehensive eye exams and in most cases are capable of diagnosing and treating many of the most common eye disorders whether it be visual or physical. When warranted the appropriate referral is made to a more specialized practitioner.
The three "O"s in eyecare are: opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists. The word optometrist comes from the Greek roots, optos, meaning seen or visible and metria, meaning measurement. An optometrist means "one who measures vision." Oculist is an old word for eye doctor that can refer to either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. An ocularist is a technician that specializes in the fabricating and fitting of artificial eyes.
In the United States, ophthalmologist and optometrist are specific terms referring to specific state licensing and courses of professional study. Optometrists are eye doctors who complete optometry school (a 4 year program) and receive the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree. They are required to recieve board certification, and some go on to complete residencies. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors (MD or DO) who have completed medical school followed by a 3-4 year residency in ophthalmology and have received board certification. Some ophthalmologists perform an additional fellowship in a specific subspecialty of ophthalmology. The American Optometric Association characterizes optometrists as "primary eye care providers." Ophthalmogists may perform major eye Surgery while optometrists do not. Recently, changes in some states' laws have led to an overlap in the capabilities of the two professions to treat eye disease with pharmacological agents.