Differentiate optometrist, ophthalmologist and optician.?

Question

There is a raging debate among the members of my clique as to the job of each.

Answer 1

1. optician fits your glasses - it takes a little bit of training. you measure the eyes etc.
2. optometrist examines your eyes and writes you a prescription for glasses and contacts
3. opthamologist is an actual medical doctor and can do surgery and invasive medical things to your eyes

states regulate what these folks can legally do. one current debate is about whether optometrists should be allowed to "cut" on people's eyes (with lasers?) some states allow it and some do not. of course opthamologists are against it, they feel that the additional medical training is required to be qualified to cut on people's eyes.

Answer 2

In order of training, ophtalmologist comes first, then optometrist, then optician. An ophtalmologist is an MD, a physician, who like any specialist doctor has had over ten years of schooling and training. An optometrist has no medical school training but a license to test for simple vision problems and give you a prescription for glasses and contacts. An optician sells those last two.