An Optometrist is a health care professional who is licensed to provide primary eye care services:

1. to examine and diagnose eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal disease and, in certain states in the U.S., to treat them;
2. to diagnose related systemic (bodywide) conditions such as hypertension and diabetes that may affect the eyes;
3. to examine, diagnose and treat visual conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia; and
4. to prescribe glasses, contact lenses, low vision rehabilitation and medications as well as perform minor surgical procedures such as the removal of foreign bodies.

An Ophthalmologist is an eye M.D., a medical doctor who is specialized in eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists are trained to provide the full spectrum glasses and contact lenses to complex and delicate eye surgery and eye research with specialties in the following areas:

• Myopia
• Hyperopia
• Astigmatism
• Presbyopia
• Cataracts