Question

What is a medical doctor who treats eye disorders called?

Answer 1

Doctors are the ones that provide us with treatment and care when we are ill. All the doctors don’t treat all our problems. Like each and every person has studied and specialized in a particular subject which he/she choose as a career option, like some choose geography, some choose history, etc., doctors also have specialization areas. Some doctors treat gastrointestinal problems, some others know very well about the heart, and others about the nerves, etc.

Complete answer:
When you first fall ill, generally you visit a general physician, who just knows about the common medical problems and generally refers you to a certain specialist on his sense of diagnosis which he/she predicts regarding the symptoms you have.
An Ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosis of eye disorders and provides medications and care accordingly. These doctors have completed 8 years of their (at least) study in optometry and then they become eligible to practice.

Note:
Learners should be able to distinguish between Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, and an optician.
An Optometrist is a healthcare professional who provides you with primary vision care ranging from sight testing and correction to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision changes. They are not medical doctors. They are the ones who just completed their graduation with a 4-year degree course in optometry and are basically the beginners in this field.
An Optician is a technician who is trained to design, verify and fit eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses, and other devices to correct eyesight. They use prescriptions provided by ophthalmologists to provide the right visionary care.