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Optometrist: licensed by the Texas Optometry Board, a health care practitioner trained to diagnose signs of ocular, neurological and systemic health problems and treat vision disorders. A therapeutic optometrist may treat eye diseases and injuries, prescribe medicine and perform other procedures such as eye foreign body removal. An Optometric Glaucoma Specialist is a therapeutic optometrist who is also licensed to treat glaucoma (in a co-management process with ophthalmologists) and may also prescribe a limited number of oral drugs. Both an optometrist and therapeutic optometrist (and optometric glaucoma specialist) may prescribe glasses and contact lenses. |
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Ophthalmologist: an eye surgeon trained in eye surgery and eye disease. Ophthalmologists prescribe glasses, contact lenses, medicine, and perform major eye surgery such as cataract surgery and laser vision correction surgery. The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners licenses ophthalmologists. |
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Optician: an eyewear provider trained to select, manufacture and dispense spectacles and sell or deliver contact lenses upon a prescription written by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. An optician is not licensed as an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Voluntary registration does exist through the Texas Department of Health, Optician's Registry. |