Job Description: Optometrists test people’s vision, prescribe glasses or contacts when
needed, recognize and treat diseases of the eye, and refer patients to medical
practitioners when needed.
Training, Education, and Certification: To become an optometrist, you must attain a
bachelor’s degree and then take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) in order to
gain entrance to a four year program at an optometry school. Upon graduation,
you will earn a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) and will be qualified as an
optometrist. However, in order to practice in the U.S., you must become
licensed by passing the National Boards of Optometry exam.
College or Post High School Programs: It is recommended that you major in a field related to
optometry such as biology, chemistry, or physiology.
National and Local Professional Organizations: One of the largest national optometry associations is
the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), which represents 95% of
optometry students. The National Optometric Student Association is another
organization that works closely with AOSA and is open to college students. Both
organizations have active members in the Frisco area.
Related Areas: Ophthalmologists
and opticians are the most related to optometrists as they also deal with eye
care. The differences between the careers lay in the amount of education
required and in the restrictions on what each professional can perform. Some related majors include biomedical
engineering, physics, and neuroscience.
Salary: The starting salary for an optometrist typically lies
between $70,000 and $90,000. The median salary for an optometrist is $116,000.
Based upon data from recent years, it looks as if optometrist salaries are on
the rise.
Career Outlook: The career outlook for future optometrists is mainly
positive. It is expected that the amount of jobs available for optometrists
will expand by 24% from 2012-22, which is much faster than average. This growth
can be mainly attributed to an aging population, which will require more vision
care and the fact that many optometrists will retire in the next decade.
Terminology: Some terminology that I should be familiar with
include common names of symptoms and diseases, tests and treatments carried out
by optometrists, and the anatomy of the eye.
Things I want to learn:
·
Basic eye care
terminology (symptoms, treatments, anatomy of the eye, etc.)· Qualities that make a good optometrist
· How to interact with patients
· The amount of time optometrists spend doing paperwork versus the time spent with patients
· Operations that ophthalmologists can perform that optometrists can’t
· How stressful optometry as a career is (Can you still spend time with your friends and family?)
· What type of organizations or volunteer work I should do in college if I am interested in optometry
· If optometry is right for me and if I want to pursue it as a career
