WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE...

... between an optometrist and ophthalmologist?

Optometrists aren’t qualified doctors but can examine eyes, advise on visual problems and prescribe glasses or contact lenses. They are usually employed by high-street opticians but may also work in hospital eye departments. Most will have passed College of Optometrists exams.

An ophthalmologist is a fully trained doctor qualified to perform delicate eye surgery. The training is much more arduous – five years at a medical school, two as a newly qualified doctor doing basic medical training, and then seven years of specialist training, during which they must pass rigorous exams set by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.