Bee: September, 2005

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September 22

Eye-"doctor"

What is the deal with optometrists? The puzzle: are they doctors or not?

According to the Canadian Association of Optometrist's webiste (www.opto.ca), an optometrist is

"an independent primary health care provider who specializes in the examination, diagnosis, treatment, management and prevention of disease and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures as well as the diagnosis of ocular manifestations of systemic conditions".

I don't really know what all those words say. One glaring thing that it doesn't say -- is it me or is the word "doctor" not in there?

In another place, the website describes The Association's members as "Doctors of Optometry". Ah! That means they are doctors, right?

But in yet another place, the website describes Ophthalmologists (whom we know are "real doctors") as "physicians who diagnose diseases and disorders of the vision system".

So if physician = doctor, and an optmetrist is not a doctor --> optmetrist is not a doctor but it's called a doctor?

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