When choosing a provider, several factors may influence your decision:
  • Whether the provider is in-network with your insurance
  • The provider’s credentials and expertise
  • Recommendations from others
  • Geographic location
  • The doctor’s bedside manner or communication style
Although some areas of expertise may overlap, the following outlines the primary roles of medical professionals who may work with individuals who are visually impaired.

Ocularist

An ocularist specializes in designing, fabricating, and fitting ocular prostheses, artificial eyes, for individuals who have lost an eye due to injury, illness, or congenital conditions. The process includes taking an impression of the eye socket, crafting a plastic shell, painting the iris to match the remaining eye, and fitting the prosthesis. Ocularists also instruct patients and caregivers on the proper care and handling of the prosthesis.

Ophthalmologist (M.D.)

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who can:
  • Diagnose and treat all eye diseases and visual impairments
  • Perform eye surgery
  • Prescribe medications, eyeglasses, or other optical devices
Ophthalmologists perform comprehensive eye exams, diagnose refractive errors, and may be the first to identify whether a child has a visual impairment. Students with medical eye conditions are typically best served under the care of an ophthalmologist.

Optician

An optician is a healthcare technician trained to:
  • Design, fit, and dispense lenses for correcting vision
  • Work with eyeglasses, contact lenses, low vision aids, and even ocular prosthetics
Opticians do not diagnose or treat eye diseases. They rely on prescriptions provided by ophthalmologists or optometrists. 

Optometrist

An optometrist is a doctor of optometry, not a medical doctor, who:
  • Diagnoses and manages visual system disorders
  • Conducts eye exams
  • Prescribes and fits glasses or contact lenses
  • May offer vision training or refer for further medical evaluation
The scope of practice varies by state, but optometrists often serve as primary care providers for vision issues. 

Developmental Optometrists

A developmental optometrist is an optometrist with advanced training in how visual skills impact learning. In addition to routine exams, they assess:
  • Binocularity: how the eyes work together
  • Oculomotility: eye tracking
  • Accommodation: focusing ability
  • Visual perception
  • Visual-motor integration, such as eye-hand coordination
They may recommend special lenses or vision therapy when issues are identified. Vision therapy often targets skills needed for academic tasks. (See also: “Eligibility and the Vision Therapy Controversy.”)

​Orthopist

An orthoptist is a specialized eye care professional who works alongside ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat:
  • Eye alignment issues
  • Double vision
  • Amblyopia ("lazy eye")
They often treat school-aged children and develop individualized plans involving:
  • Eye exercises
  • Patching
  • Medicated eye drops
  • Special glasses

Neuro-ophthalmologists

A neuro-ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in vision problems that originate from the nervous system. These may include:
  • Visual field loss
  • Optic nerve disorders
  • Double vision
  • Neurological causes of visual processing issues
They are trained in both neurology and ophthalmology and work with conditions that require cross-disciplinary expertise.
(Source: North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society

Retinal Specialist

A retinal specialist is an ophthalmologist with further specialization in diseases of the retina, including:
  • Macular degeneration
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Retinal detachment
  • Persistent vision loss after cataract surgery or glasses
They are often consulted when vision cannot be restored through routine corrective lenses or surgery and advanced diagnostic techniques are needed.
(Source: Sarasota Retina Institute, Melvin Chen, M.D., 2011)

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