Optometrists are eye care professionals, licensed to prescribe glasses and contact lenses; diagnose many eye diseases; prescribe drops and medications to treat eye diseases; and assist ophthalmologists in the care of patients, before and after eye surgery. Optometrists do not receive extensive medical training in chronic diseases, other than diseases of the eye; and are not licensed to perform eye surgery.

Ophthalmology is a surgical specialty, which is limited to diseases of the eye, and does not involve medical diagnosis and treatment of other chronic diseases. Other medical specialties do not diagnose and treat eye diseases, and do not have the necessary specialized equipment to do so. Thus, patients with chronic eye diseases are referred to ophthalmologists or optometrists.

We have a significant gap in medical care relating to eye diseases, which can have the same underlying root cause as co-morbid chronic diseases. Understanding the cause of many chronic diseases of the eye will require collaboration and combining of knowledge between diverse specialties, rather than the isolation of knowledge by specialty and body part.