The 3 O's of Optometry

We often get patients who are confused about who to see for all the different eye issues there are. Since there are so many working components of the eye, it only makes sense that there are multiple medical specialists within the Ophthalmic field who care for your eye. 

To make it simple, basically remember that generally speaking:

• Ophthalmologists are Medical Doctors (MD's) who go through medical school, and specialize in Ophthalmology. These are the docs that are generally responsible for any type of surgery relating to the eye (ie. cataracts or retinal transplants/detachments), muscles that move the eye, or lasik procedures. 
• Optometrists are Doctors of Optometry (OD's) who go through optometry school, where they learn all the inner workings of the eye. They know how to diagnose and treat eye diseases, fit contact lenses, and most importantly -- these are the docs that refract you and give you your prescription for your glasses or contact lenses. 
• Opticians are Eye Care Professionals, most are certified by the American Board of Opticianry (ABOCs) and specialize in fitting you for the correct pair of glasses. Sometimes ABOCs may also be certified in contact lens fittings, where they earn the NCLE accreditation. These professionals take the prescription your OD gives you, and recommends the correct pair of glasses to fit your needs. 

Our office is 3rd generation optician owned and operated, with many OD family members in Taiwan. We specialize in taking a prescription and fitting our patients in frames that not only suit their face aesthetically, but also ensure that its the right frame for their prescription and daily uses. For example, an engineer with a mid-range prescription (lets say it reads -4.00 for both eyes), has different ocular needs than someone who is retired, typically outdoors, enjoying life, and does not often spending hours in front of their computer. 

All three eye care professionals (MDs, ODs, and ABOCs) partner together to ensure that you see the world the best you can possibly see. There are times when we are presented with a tricky prescription where we have to collaborate with the MD or OD who wrote the prescription to see if there's a better alternative for the patient. 

If you are unsure of which professional to see for your eye related concern, feel free to reach out!

---