They are specialists in the function and repair of body parts and body systems. They are not the experts when it comes to disability or impairment. Optometry Optometrists bridge the gap between the medical and the rehabilitative fields. They are trained to diagnose medical problems, and to refer the more serious cases that require surgery to ophthalmologists. Optometrists and neuro-optometrists also treat many medical conditions using drug therapies.
Optometrists often work in cooperative practices with medical practitioners.
They also work with educators and rehabilitation specialists to address visual disability. Optometrists are primarily impairment specialists. They diagnose and treat body parts and body systems that relate to the vision system. Some optometrists, however, are specialists in vision disability. They work closely with teachers and with rehabilitation professionals to understand and address the real world tasks faced by chronically affected individuals.