Optometrist vs. ophthalmologist: Which eye doctor is right?

So, it’s time to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor, but which type of provider should you choose?

There are 2 main types of eye care professionals — optometrists and ophthalmologists. They have different skill sets and levels of education and each one plays an important role in your vision and eye health.

Before scheduling your next appointment, learn a little more about who’s who on your eye care team.

If you’ve ever gone to the eye doctor and walked out with a new pair of eyeglasses, you likely visited an optometrist. They are health care professionals who earn a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree after completing their college degree and 4 years of optometry school.¹

Optometrists are primary care doctors for the eyes. Their job is to help keep your eyes healthy and make sure you have the best vision possible, which sometimes means prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses.¹ They’ll test your vision to determine whether you have a refractive error that needs correcting, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness.¹

These doctors are also on the front lines of diagnosing eye infections and diseases.² They will look into your eyes to check for signs of any damage or disease before coming up with a treatment plan.

Ophthalmologists are Doctors of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.).¹ They go through additional education and medical and surgical training to diagnose and treat eye diseases, including those that require surgery to treat.³

Ophthalmologists can also prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems, but most specialize in specific eye conditions.³ This type of doctor is called a subspecialist.³ They will complete up to 2 more years of additional training, called a fellowship.³ Some of the subspecialties in ophthalmology include:³

• Cornea 
• Glaucoma 
• Neurology 
• Oculo-plastic surgery 
• Pediatrics 
• Retina

Jeffrey Walline, O.D., Ph.D., who is associate dean for research at Ohio State University’s College of Optometry, points out how both eye doctors are similar. “Both can prescribe glasses and contact lenses to help people see better,” he says. “Both can prescribe eye drops to help keep patients’ eyes healthy.”

According to the National Eye Institute, both types of eye doctors can:⁴

• Give you a comprehensive dilated eye exam
• Write a prescription for glasses or contacts
• Prescribe certain medicines

Ultimately, education and training separate the 2 doctors.

“The main difference is that ophthalmologists can do surgery, whereas optometrists (for the most part) do not do surgery,” says Dr. Walline.

If you notice a change in your vision, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit with an optometrist. They can test your vision and write you a prescription for new eyeglasses or contact lenses.

But if your optometrist spots signs of eye disease, they may refer you to an ophthalmologist.

“I think optometry is really great for screening for eye-related conditions or eye diseases,” says Chantal Cousineau-Krieger, M.D., an ophthalmologist at the National Eye Institute. “When you actually have a disease of the eye, it’s time to move on to an ophthalmologist for treatment of the disease.”

For general eye care, either an optometrist or ophthalmologist is a good choice. If you are dealing with a serious eye condition — such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy — an ophthalmologist may be the way to go.

If you aren’t sure which eye doctor best suits your needs, it’s a good idea to call your optometrist to discuss your symptoms.