A person wrote in Med Help Forum that she has been suffering from terrible
eye pain for years, and that optometrists that she saw couldn't find
anything wrong.

Another person wrote: "Have you seen ophthalmologists?"

Then, the Forum O.D. reacted to that question by writing:

"because seeing an ophthalmologist is totally and completely different from
seeing an optometrist, right?

she either has something wrong with her eye or she does not. an
ophthalmologist would be able to surgically correct a problem if surgery was
warranted, but IMO no ophthalmologist is any better than any optometrist for
DIAGNOSING eye disease. especially not a general ophthalmologist. this is a
common and completely incorrect misconception. IMO, of course."

I think that the forum O.D. overreacted for whatever reason. My experiences
tell me that ODs are generally better than ophthalmologists at prescribing
glasses and contacts. But, when you have eye pain that lasts for years, you
go see a medical doctor (i.e., ophthalmologist, or even better
neuro-ophthalmologist).