How Much Schooling Do I Need to Be an Optometrist?
You may have heard the saying, "The eyes are the window to the soul." Credited as an old English proverb, it means that you can learn a lot by looking into someone's eyes. Optometrists certainly know that's true. They learn in school how to use various types of equipment to test a patient's vision. But they also learn to look for eye diseases and a person's health in general by examining their eyes. The length of time optometrists go to school depends on several factors, but usually takes between seven-and-nine years. Imagine knowing, upon graduation, that your skills could save patients' sight.
Optometrists perform eye exams to determine a person's vision. They diagnose whether a person has 20/20 vision, which is the ability to see without correction, or some degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness. They prescribe glasses, contact lenses and other visual aids, and may prescribe medications in some states. Some optometrists may perform minor surgery.
They also check for eye diseases such as glaucoma and look at the eyes for signs of deterioration due to diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Some optometrists specialize in caring for patients with certain types of vision problems, or in caring for children or the elderly.
Optometrists are sometimes confused with these other eye care providers:
- Ophthalmologists: physicians who have graduated from medical school and are qualified to diagnose and treat all eye conditions as well as perform eye surgery and prescribe medications.
- Opticians: qualified to fit people for glasses and contact lenses using prescriptions written by optometrists and ophthalmologists but are not required to have a bachelor's degree.
To become an optometrist, you must earn a doctor of optometry (O.D.)degree from one of approximately 20 schools of optometry in the U.S. or its territories. There are specific steps for accomplishing this:
- Complete at least three years of college, or earn a bachelor's degree, with emphasis on pre-med subjects including biology, chemistry, physics, math and English.
- Take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), which tests for understanding in science, physics, quantitative reasoning and reading comprehension.
- Apply to and graduate from, an accredited school of optometry to earn an O.D.; this takes about four years.
- May complete a one-year clinical residency working with patients under supervision, to gain experience in a specialty such as low vision rehabilitation, pediatric or geriatric optometry or ocular diseases.
- Become licensed in your state by taking and passing the exam given by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.
- Take and pass any other exams, such as those on clinical practice or rules, that may be required by your state.
Completing your education to become an optometrist takes seven-to-nine years: three-to-four years of college plus four years of optometry school. The one-year clinical residency for specialization is an optional, additional year.
You can find accredited schools of optometry through the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. Some are programs within universities that have a school of optometry, while others are independent schools of optometry.
Ohio State University and the University of California at Berkeley are general universities that have schools of optometry, among many other schools.
The New England College of Optometry (NECO) is an independent school in Boston that is not affiliated with any university.
Through the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, you can learn the pass rates on the optometry licensing exam for graduates of each school of optometry.
As of May 2016, optometrists earned a median annual salary of $106,140, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A median salary is a midpoint in a list of salaries for one occupation, where half the list earns more than the median and half earns less. The highest 10 percent earned $192,050, and the lowest 10 percent earned $52,810.
For comparison purposes, opticians had median salaries of $35,530 for the same period, and ophthalmologists received over $208,000.
About the Industry
Optometrists may work in physicians' or optometrists' group offices, or in solo practice. They also work in health and personal care stores, in government and in research at universities. They are needed in cities and rural areas, in beach towns and the mountains, in hospitals, community clinics, the military and public health environments.
Most optometrists work full time. If they work in stores, they may work evenings and weekends. Optometrist offices sometimes offer evening and weekend appointments to fit their patients' schedules.
Years of Experience
With clinical practice being part of optometry education, optometrists graduate with experience diagnosing and treating patients. Those who work in a group practice may receive salary increases and greater responsibilities as they gain years of experience.
To renew your optometry license, all 50 states and the District of Columbia require optometrists to take continuing education courses that teach the latest advances in the field. By doing this, you add to your level of skill and are a more valuable employee.
Job Growth Trend
The BLS anticipates the demand for optometrists will grow 18 percent between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster than the anticipated growth for all occupations in general. Forbes Magazine rated optometry number 19 among the fastest-growing careers.
Barbara Bean-Mellinger is a freelance writer who lives in the Washington, D.C. area. She writes about business and career topics for bizfluent.com, careertrend.com, Harbor Style Magazine, the Charlotte Sun and more. Barbara holds a B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh and has won numerous awards in B2B and B2C marketing.