OPTOMETRISTS are health care professionals who are trained to assess your vision, and advise you about the use of glasses and contact lenses to correct your vision. Many optometrists will provide essential screening services like pressure checks for glaucoma, photographs of the retina and drivers licence certificates. It is important to note that optometrists are not medical doctors. A regular check up with your optometrist is essential. Your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist if medical or surgical management is required.
OPHTHALMOLOGISTS are medically trained eye specialists. This means that they have to first train as a doctor and then undergo specialist training in medical treatments of the eye, surgery of the eye and laser treatment (a minimum of 12 years of training). There are many advanced treatments available for the eye, and thus there is a trend now for ophthalmologists to develop areas of interest within the field (like retinal surgery, cataract surgery, refractive surgery).
