Opticians vs. Laser Eye Surgeons – Who Should You Visit for an Eye Examination?

When it comes to your eye health, you know the importance of receiving regular eye examinations. However, you may find yourself unsure about which type of specialist to see. Opticians and laser eye surgeons may seem as though they have similar sets of services, but in reality, they have two very distinct roles.

To choose the right expert for your needs, you need to first understand the difference between each one.

What Does an Optician Do?

An optician, in general, helps you make the right selection and adjusts fitting for your prescription lenses (including contacts). Opticians can perform general eye examinations – as long as you are looking for a prescription for glasses or need to adjust your current corrective lens prescription. Optician, however, is a loosely used term and sometimes optometrists refer to themselves as opticians. An optometrist is a doctor of optometry (OD) who is trained to treat and manage eye diseases, prescribe glasses, monitor eye health and even remove foreign bodies from the eye. An optician can:

1. Evaluate prescriptions written already by an eye doctor

2. Dispense, adjust, replace or repair eyeglass frames, contacts or lenses

3. Take measurements of your face to match you with a new pair of frames and make sure your lenses match your eye placement

4. Determine which lenses are appropriate for you based on your vision needs

5. Provide you with guidance on picking eyeglass frames to match the lenses prescribed to you

What Does a Laser Eye Surgeon Do?

Optometrists and ophthalmologists both can offer laser eye surgery. Ophthalmologists perform LASIK and PRK procedures, while the optometrist is the one that examines your eyes and determines if you may be a possible candidate to go in for a consultation you’re your laser eye surgeon. If you have been told you need laser eye surgery, the ophthalmologist will assess you for candidacy.
After laser eye surgery, you will meet with your ophthalmologist that performed the procedure for a follow-up eye examination. However, this examination is only performed to check the progress of your procedure.

If you would like to assess your candidacy for laser eye surgery, speak with the team at Optilase. Our surgeons can assess your current eye condition and find a corrective laser eye procedure that will help improve your vision and overall eye health. For more information, fill out an online enquiry form or schedule a consultation by calling us on 0489 043 8397 in Ireland and 0800 511 8005 in the UK.