{"id":4642,"date":"2026-11-04T15:44:58","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T15:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nishanttaneja.com\/?p=4642"},"modified":"2026-11-04T16:15:04","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T16:15:04","slug":"ophthalmologist-or-optometrist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nishanttaneja.com\/en\/okulist-apo-oftalmolog\/","title":{"rendered":"Ophthalmologist or eye doctor: what are they called, and when do you need one?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In brief:<\/strong> If you\u2019re wondering what an eye doctor is called, the answer is an oculist or ophthalmologist: in Albania and Kosovo, these are two names for the same specialist doctor. They have completed medical school and specialized in eye care, diagnose and treat eye diseases, and perform surgery. An optometrist tests your vision and determines your glasses prescription, but is not a doctor and does not perform surgery. An optician makes and fits glasses according to a prescription. If you have pain, redness, vision loss, or flashes of light, you need to see an ophthalmologist.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

What is an eye doctor called in Albanian?<\/h2>\n\n\n

An eye doctor is called an oculist<\/strong> or an ophthalmologist<\/strong>. The word \u201coculist\u201d comes from the Italian oculista<\/em>, which the Treccani<\/a> dictionary defines as a doctor who specializes in the study and treatment of eye diseases. \u201cOphthalmologist\u201d comes from the Greek ophthalm\u00f3s<\/em> (\u201ceye\u201d), which also gives us the name of the medical specialty: ophthalmology.<\/p>\n\n\n

In Albania, people more often search Google for \u201coculist,\u201d while in Kosovo they search for \u201cophthalmologist.\u201d In everyday conversation, people also say \u201ceye doctor,\u201d \u201coculist doctor,\u201d or \u201ceye specialist.\u201d They all refer to the same doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n

Oculist, optometrist, or optician: what\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Three professions with similar-sounding names work in eye care. Their training and what they are allowed to do differ considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/th>Oculist (ophthalmologist)<\/th>Optometrist<\/th>Optician<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Who they are<\/td>doctor specializing in eye care<\/td>vision care professional, not a doctor<\/td>glasses and contact lens technician<\/td><\/tr>
Tests vision and determines glasses prescription<\/td>po<\/td>po<\/td>jo<\/td><\/tr>
Prescribes glasses and contact lenses<\/td>po<\/td>po<\/td>no; makes them according to the prescription<\/td><\/tr>
Detects eye diseases<\/td>yes; diagnoses and treats all of them<\/td>detects some and refers you to a doctor<\/td>jo<\/td><\/tr>
Prescribes medication for eye diseases<\/td>po<\/td>some, only where permitted by law<\/td>jo<\/td><\/tr>
Performs eye surgery<\/td>po<\/td>jo<\/td>jo<\/td><\/tr>
When you see<\/td>eye diseases, symptoms, comprehensive eye exams, surgery<\/td>eyeglass prescriptions, contact lenses<\/td>buying and fitting glasses<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

In Albanian, \u201coptika\u201d usually means an eyeglasses shop. Both optometrists and opticians may work there, so ask who will perform your test and what they will check.<\/p>\n\n\n

What does an ophthalmologist do, and what can\u2019t an optometrist do?<\/h2>\n\n\n

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), an ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats all eye diseases, performs eye surgery, and prescribes and fits glasses and contact lenses. They are the only one of the three with a medical degree. In the US, training takes 12 to 14 years in total: college, four years of medical school, and at least four years of medical and surgical training. Many ophthalmologists also complete one or two years of fellowship training in a specific part of the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n

This is also the path taken by Dr. Nishant Taneja, an ophthalmic surgeon<\/a> at the clinic: medical studies (MBBS), a specialization in ophthalmology (MD, AIIMS, New Delhi), and subspecialty training in the retina and vitreous (L.V. Prasad Eye Institute).<\/p>\n\n\n

Optometrists are trained to recognize abnormal changes in the eye, such as signs of glaucoma or cataracts. They prescribe and fit glasses and contact lenses. If they find something that requires a doctor, they refer you to an ophthalmologist. They do not perform surgery: according to the AAO, only ophthalmologists have the medical training required for eye surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n

Opticians make, check, and fit glasses and contact lenses. They do not test your vision, write prescriptions, or treat diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n

When do you need an ophthalmologist, rather than just a prescription test?<\/h2>\n\n\n

A prescription test tells you what strength of glasses you need, not whether your eyes are healthy. According to the US National Eye Institute (NEI), many eye diseases cause no early symptoms. Open-angle glaucoma, for example, has no warning signs in its early stages. See an ophthalmologist if:<\/p>\n\n\n