Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site hcrvx1.UUCP Path: utzoo!hcrvax!hcrvx1!tracy From: tracy@hcrvx1.UUCP (Tracy Tims) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: Follow-up on Optometrists vs Ophthalmologists Info Message-ID: <1116@hcrvx1.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Feb-85 18:25:24 EST Article-I.D.: hcrvx1.1116 Posted: Wed Feb 13 18:25:24 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 14-Feb-85 01:51:15 EST References: <507@bentley.UUCP> Organization: Human Computing Resources Corp Lines: 27 I just want to point out a couple of things. First is that optometrists are Doctors. They are Doctors of Optometry. Up here it takes 6 years of university to be one. You can learn a lot in 6 years. The second thing is that they know a lot more than how to fit glasses and lenses. Yup, they can do that really well. They are also really good at recognising *medical* conditions. They study hard to be able to do that. The goal is so that you *don't have to go to an ophthalmologist* unless you actually, really, honestly do have something pathological or medical wrong that needs treatment. Optometrists know easily enough to send you to the right person when something goes wrong. They are trained even to spot signs of diseases like diabetes in your eyes. The only thing they don't concentrate on in terms of eyes is how to *treat* medical and pathological conditions. Optometrists are involved in research into eyes and visual systems. There are graduate programs in optometry. They are serious eye care professionals. Think of them as the dentists (rather than the oral surgeons) of the eye care world. "Some of my best friends are optometrists!" Tracy Tims ihnp4!utzoo!hcr!hcrvx1!tracy Human Computing Resources Corporation utcsri!hcr!hcrvx1!tracy Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 416 922-1937 dciem!hcr!hcrvx1!tracy