Final answer:
Optometry is the health profession that deals with the eyes and their structures. Issues with focusing images on the retina are often related to the lens of the eye. Refractive errors are corrected using lenses measured in diopters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The health profession that focuses on the eyes and related structures is optometry. Optometrists are dedicated to the health of the eyes and the improvement of visual performance. They diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system.
When the eyes are incapable of focusing an image on the retina, a common issue is a refractive error affecting the lens of the eye. This can lead to conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia, all of which can often be corrected with prescription glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. The lens helps to bring light into focus on the retina and any abnormalities in its shape or flexibility can distort vision.
Prescriptions for vision correction are provided in units called diopters (D), which measure the focusing power of the lens needed to correct sight to normal levels. The physics of the eye and principles for treating these vision impairments are well understood within the field of geometric optics.