About Optometrists

Understanding the role of optometrists

How optometrists help patients

Optometrists are experts who play an important role in patients’ vision, eye health, and their overall health, too. They are trained to:

Treat, manage and correct disorders and diseases of the visual system, the eye and its associated structures.
Recognize and detect related systemic conditions and manage ocular manifestations.
Diagnose, treat and manage binocular and perceptual vision disorders.
Prescribe any topical or oral Schedule 1 drug in the context of eye care.
Remove superficial foreign bodies from the eye in or below the surface of the cornea.
Independently manage glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.

Optometrists provide primary eye care.

How medical professionals can work with optometrists

The right patient care requires the right experts. Optometrists (doctors of optometry) are highly trained professionals who can work with other healthcare professionals like general practitioners, nurses and pediatricians to ensure patients receive the best care possible. When healthcare professionals refer patients to optometrists, it drives better health outcomes for Albertans of all ages.

Like other health care professionals, optometrists go through specialized education before treating patients. They complete a Bachelor of Science degree, followed by a four-year Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited university. Many complete up to two years of postdoctoral residency and/or sub-specialty fellowship training.

Alberta optometrists are regulated under the Health Professions Act. When you refer a patient to an optometrist, you can be confident they will receive quality care.

Eye exams

During an eye exam, the optometrist examines the tissues and structures of the eye, checking for eye diseases, retinal detachments and tears, optic nerve disorders, tumours, and ocular complications from medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or auto-immune disease.

Without early detection and proper treatment, many eye diseases can cause unnecessary and permanent loss of vision.

The comprehensive eye exam includes a series of tests. There is much more to an eye exam than checking how well a person can see and determining the eye glass prescription (refraction).

Insured services funded by Alberta Health

The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) covers:

Partial coverage towards annual exams for children under 18 and seniors 65+.
Partial coverage towards medically necessary/urgent care for acute onset disturbances to vision; red eye, infection, foreign body removal; management of chronic eye disease (glaucoma, macular degeneration, inflammatory conditions), and other issues.
Monitoring of patients on certain medications.
Post-operative medical eye surgery visits.

Learn more here.

When to have an eye exam?

Recommended eye care:

Babies: First exam between 6-9 months.
Toddlers & Preschoolers: At least one eye exam between the ages of 2-5.
Kindergarten: One eye exam when they begin kindergarten*.
School Years: Every year until they turn 19.
Adults: At least every two years, or as recommended by an optometrist.
Seniors: Every year 65+.

*Learn about the Eye See...Eye Learn™ program at optometrists.ab.ca/eye-see-eye-learn/im-a-parent. If your kindergarten-aged child requires prescription eyeglasses, they will be provided free of charge by a participating optometrist.

Referring patients

Although a patient does not need a referral to see an optometrist, providing a referral can help ensure that they receive the eye care they need and allow the referring provider to be informed of the results.

The eye health referral form also makes it easy for your patients to contact an optometrist. You can find a fillable, printable form here.

If your patient does not have an optometrist, they can find an optometrist near them on our Find an Optometrist page.

Referral Form

Find an Optometrist