The question I hear more than any other from new patients is not about cataracts. It is whether they are seeing the right kind of eye doctor. At Comprehensive EyeCare of Central Ohio, ophthalmologists and optometrists see patients in the same building at 450 Alkyre Run Drive in Westerville, and which doctor you see depends on what brings you in. An ophthalmologist is a physician, trained in medicine and surgery; an optometrist is a doctor of optometry. Both are eye doctors, and here they work as one team.
The short version
- Ophthalmologists at our practice: Dr. Suh and Dr. Beckman, physicians (MD), each certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. They perform the surgery and the in office laser treatments we offer.
- Optometrists at our practice: doctors of optometry (OD). They perform comprehensive eye exams, prescribe glasses and contact lenses, and see patients for conditions managed with medicine.
- Opticians: the staff of our Optical Shop, who fit and dispense glasses and contact lenses from the prescription your doctor writes.
- One building: 450 Alkyre Run Drive, Suite 100, Westerville, Ohio 43082.
- Hours: Monday to Friday 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM; Saturday 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
- One phone number: 614-890-5692, during office hours and, for a medical emergency in the evening or on a weekend, to reach a physician on call.
What the two degrees mean
The letters after the name tell you which kind of doctor you are seeing. An ophthalmologist holds a medical degree. The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes an ophthalmologist as a medical or osteopathic physician who specializes in eye and vision care and is licensed to practice medicine and surgery. Dr. Beckman and I hold the MD, and both of us are certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
An optometrist holds the doctor of optometry degree, the OD. The American Optometric Association describes doctors of optometry as completing four years of professional education at a college of optometry after their undergraduate work, with many going on to a residency in a specific area of practice. An optometrist is not a medical doctor, and in Ohio the titles physician, surgeon, and ophthalmologist belong to those who hold a medical license. When you see OD after a name on our doctors page, you are looking at an optometrist.
What each kind of doctor is licensed to do for patients is set by state law, and the Academy notes that it varies from state to state. What follows is how we are organized here in Westerville, not a description of either profession everywhere.
Who you will see for an eye exam
A comprehensive eye exam at our practice takes about an hour and usually includes dilating your pupils so the doctor can see the back of the eye. Our optometrists perform comprehensive exams, and so do I. If you come in for a routine exam with no particular complaint, you may be scheduled with either kind of doctor; our medical receptionist schedules a time that works for you and your treatment needs. We explain what a comprehensive eye exam examines on its own page.
When an exam finds something that needs a surgeon’s judgment, such as a cataract that is ready to come out or a cornea that is changing shape, you are scheduled with the ophthalmologist whose area it is, in the same building, and your records are already here. At the end of your visit you receive your glasses or contact lens prescription, which our Optical Shop can fill, or you may take it anywhere you like. A refraction, the part of the exam that measures your prescription, is a non covered service under Medicare and carries a separate charge payable on the day of your exam; how the rest of your visit is billed depends on the reason for the visit and your coverage, and our front desk can tell you which applies. Our office information page lists what to bring.
Cataracts: the evaluation and the surgery
Cataract surgery at our practice is performed by our ophthalmologists. I direct the Cataract Center. The decision to operate, and the choice of lens option that fits the way you use your eyes, is made with the surgeon. A YAG laser capsulotomy, a treatment some patients need after cataract surgery, is also done in our office by an ophthalmologist.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma care at our practice is shared between the two kinds of doctor. Dr. Beckman and I manage glaucoma and perform SLT and ALT laser treatment in the office. Our optometrists also see patients whose glaucoma is treated with medicine. Because both kinds of doctor work in the same building, a change in your eye pressure can be discussed between us without a referral to another office.
Cornea, keratoconus, and dry eye
Anything involving the cornea, the clear front window of the eye, comes to Dr. Beckman, our Director of Corneal Services. That includes keratoconus, corneal crosslinking, and corneal transplant. Specialty contact lenses for keratoconus, including scleral lenses, are fitted by an optometrist at our practice. Dry eye is evaluated and treated by our optometrists and by Dr. Beckman.
Macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease
Diabetic eye exams are performed by our optometrists and by me. Macular degeneration is diagnosed and monitored at our practice; when the wet form needs treatment, we coordinate a referral to a retina specialist.
Glasses, contact lenses, and the Optical Shop
Your doctor writes the prescription; our opticians fill it. The Optical Shop keeps the same hours as the office, and on Saturdays we ask that you set up an appointment for optical because the staff is smaller that day. An optician does not examine your eyes or write a prescription; the optician’s job is the frame, the lenses, and the fit.
A sudden problem, and who answers
If something changes suddenly, call 614-890-5692 and say so. Our medical receptionist can schedule an emergency evaluation, and the doctor you see depends on the problem. If it happens in the evening or on a weekend, call the same number and a physician on call will contact you; if you cannot reach us, go to the nearest emergency department. We keep a separate page on the eye symptoms that need same day care.
Why both kinds of doctor work under one roof
The Academy observes that many ophthalmologists and optometrists work together in the same offices, as a team. That is the arrangement we chose. A patient who needs a glasses prescription, a cataract decision, and a dry eye plan can be seen for all three in one building, by the doctor whose area it is, without being sent across town. For you it means one phone number, one chart, and doctors who can walk down the hall to ask each other a question about your eyes.
Questions patients ask
Is an optometrist a doctor?
An optometrist holds a doctoral degree, the doctor of optometry (OD), and is not a medical doctor. The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that optometrists are often referred to as eye doctors because they hold the OD degree. Our optometrists are addressed as Dr. and are listed with the OD after their names.
Do I have to ask for an ophthalmologist to get a routine exam?
You do not have to ask for a particular kind of doctor. Call 614-890-5692 and tell our medical receptionist why you are coming in, and a time will be scheduled that works for you and your treatment needs. If your exam turns up something that needs an ophthalmologist, we schedule that visit here.
Who performs surgery at your practice?
Surgery and the in office laser treatments at our practice are performed by our ophthalmologists, Dr. Suh and Dr. Beckman. Cataract surgery and YAG capsulotomy sit with the Cataract Center; corneal crosslinking and corneal transplant sit with the Director of Corneal Services; SLT and ALT for glaucoma are performed by both.
Does an ophthalmologist do regular eye exams?
Yes. Comprehensive ophthalmology, which includes the routine exam, is part of what I do. Our optometrists perform comprehensive exams as well.
What is an optician?
An optician fits and dispenses glasses and contact lenses from a prescription written by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes opticians as technicians trained to design, verify, and fit lenses and frames, who do not test vision or diagnose or treat eye disease. At our practice the opticians are the people you meet in the Optical Shop.
How do I know which kind of doctor I am seeing?
Look at the letters after the name on our doctors page. MD is an ophthalmologist; OD is an optometrist. If you are unsure on the day, ask at the front desk; nobody minds the question.
Keep reading
- Comprehensive eye care at our practice
- Our doctors
- Steven H. Suh, MD, Director of Cataract Surgery
- Kenneth A. Beckman, MD, Director of Corneal Services
- Appointments, office hours, and what to bring
- Nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia
Sources
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, What Is an Ophthalmologist vs Optometrist?, published January 22, 2026. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/what-is-ophthalmologist
- American Optometric Association, What’s a doctor of optometry? https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/whats-a-doctor-of-optometry
- Ohio Revised Code section 4725.25, Unauthorized practice. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4725.25
Schedule with the doctor who fits your visit
Call 614-890-5692 during office hours, or send us a note through our contact form, and tell us what brings you in. We will schedule you with the right doctor in our Westerville office.
Dr. Suh is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is the Director of Cataract Surgery at Comprehensive EyeCare of Central Ohio.
Published November 13, 2026. Updated November 13, 2026.
