Cindy Wilson, age 15, of Shreveport, La., for her question:

DOES AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST MAKE GLASSES?

An ophthalmologist may discover after examining a patient's eyes that glasses are needed. He will not actually make the glasses but he will write a prescription for them, which will then be made by an optician.

An ophthalmologist is a doctor who specializes in medicine involving the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. Sometimes called an oculist, he must have a M.D. degree and three to five years of specialized training.

An ophthalmologist examines the eye with special equipment and determines the degree of refraction in the lens of the eye. Refraction is a measurement of the eye's ability to see.

If glasses can solve the problem, the ophthalmologist will write his prescription. If he discovers that an eye condition requires surgery, he performs the necessary operation to correct the condition.

By studying the retina, an ophthalmologist may also discover signs of a disease in some other part of the body.