While an ophthalmologist is going to be able to do everything that an optometrist can, they are also going to have the ability to do more procedures as well. This is going to be due to the fact that they have completed more schooling and have more specialized training than a regular optometrist. This specialized training is put to good use in a variety of different areas within eye care and helps to benefit their patients. This article will discuss 3 important duties that an ophthalmologist is trained and certified to do. 

Perform Corrective Eye Surgery

A very common duty that an ophthalmologists perform is corrective eye surgery. There are several different procedures that are now used to treat multiple eye problems, and ophthalmologists are trained to complete all of them. They can perform surgeries that remove growths from the eye, tighten the muscles in the eye, remove portions of the cornea to help with vision problems, and a multitude of other procedures. Because they have received several extra years of specialized training, you can feel confident when they are performing surgery on one or both of your eyes. 

Fit You For Glasses And Contacts 

Ophthalmologist are also going to be able to do the more routine duty of fitting your for eye glasses and contacts. They will help you to determine what your prescription needs to be, and can help you to determine the shape and fit of glasses frames that are going to be best for you. If you have a specific eye issue, they will be able to help you find the bifocal contacts and/or eyeglasses that you need in order to be able to see properly. With some eye conditions, contacts are not going to be an option, so they will also be sure to let you know what type of corrective eye wear is going to work the best for you. 

Conduct Research Studies 

Because technology is always advancing, and we are always finding out more about different eye diseases and issues, it is very important that research continues to be conducted. Ophthalmologists realize this and many of them devote much of their time to studying a multitude of eye diseases. This is what helps us to make breakthroughs in medicine and medical procedures in this field, because we are able to learn of new eye diseases and how to treat them, as well as better ways to treat well known eye diseases. 

For more information, contact ophthalmology experts, such as Jo Johnson, M.D.