Finding the Best Eye Hospital in the UAE
It can be challenging to find the best eye hospital in the UAE because of the countless options available. However, the following guidelines below can help make the search easier for you.
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An Optician, Optometrist, or Ophthalmologist?
Opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists are all eye care specialists, but they vary in their levels of training and capabilities.
Opticians
Opticians are eye technicians trained in designing and fitting corrective eye devices such as eyeglasses and contact lenses. They may not diagnose vision or write visual correction prescriptions, but they can fulfill said prescriptions.
Optometrists
Optometrists are professionals who have been trained to provide primary vision care. They are licensed to test and correct vision problems. They may conduct eye exams, diagnose vision problems, detect eye diseases and abnormalities, and prescribe vision corrective lenses (and medications in some countries).
Optometrists have a doctor of optometry degree, obtained after four years in optometry school, which comes after getting a college degree. Some optometrists may have even undergone one year in optometry residency. However, they are not medical doctors.
Ophthalmologists
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors whose specialization is in eye diseases and conditions that necessitate vision care. As medical doctors, they have a college degree, and in the US they must have undergone at least eight years of medical training after college. Four years of medical training, one year of internship in medicine or surgery, and three years of residency in ophthalmology typically comprise these eight years of medical training.
Ophthalmologists may also undergo fellowship or a further one or two years of training in a subspecialty area. After such specific training, an ophthalmologist can become a subspecialist in the field of neurology, pediatrics, cornea, retina, glaucoma, plastic surgery, or other such subspecialties.
Ophthalmologists have the most advanced training and capabilities of eye specialists. They can do all that optometrists can. They can diagnose and detect vision problems and eye pathologies, prescribe corrective lenses, and treat with medication. However, unlike optometrists, ophthalmologists can perform surgeries and are often involved in research on eye diseases and treatment modalities.
