Optometrists and ophthalmologists both are professionals who look after the vision and eye care of patients. However there’s a difference between them. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who has completed MBBS degree and then pursued MD degree with specialization in Opthalmology. Opthalmologists treat all kinds of eye and vision related diseases and perform surgeries after conducting tests and evaluations.
On the other hand, an optometrist is a doctor of Optometry (O.D) who has been trained to examine the eyes to detect defects in vision, ocular injuries, other abnormalities and vision related problems. They examine and then offer clinical advice regarding vision correction, eye care and also prescribe corrective measures. However, optometrists cannot use the prefix of “Dr” before their name as they are not Doctor of Medicine. Opthalmologists are usually attached to eye hospitals or have their own clinics, whereas the optometrists usually do eye check ups at the optician’s store.