A Career in Optometry

The Optometry profession is dedicated to the prevention of blindness and the enhancement of visual function. Doctors of Optometry are independent, licensed, Primary Eye Care providers who offer a wide range of Vision Care Services. They examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases and disorders of the eye, as well as diagnose and refer patients to other health care providers for a variety of systemic and neurological conditions that are frequently diagnosed during the primary eye examination.

Optometry rated "excellent" career choice by U.S. News and World Report

Optometry is rated the number-two career in the "excellent" category as reported in a guide to careers on the U.S. News and World Report web site (appearing on January 5, 2006— see Best Careers). The article described 39 different careers and categorized them as excellent, good, fair, and poor.

The job ratings were based on objective and subjective criteria. The objective information is gleaned largely from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-2007 edition. The subjective information is based on the author Marty Nemko's interviews and discussions with clients.

In the U.S. News and World Report guide, Optometry is touted as a "one-on-one helping career that will serve the massive numbers of boomers." The ASCO website (www.opted.org) is included as a resource for learning more about Optometry as a career choice.

Training and Qualifications

To practice optometry, you must earn a Doctor of Optometry degree (OD) by completing a four-year educational and clinical program in an accredited school of optometry. Acceptance into such programs requires at least three years of pre-optometry coursework at accredited colleges or universities. Many schools, including Berkeley Optometry, require a bachelor's degree. Before practicing optometry, you also must pass written and clinical board examinations in order to obtain your license. See Applying to Berkeley Optometry for more about Berkeley's requirements for admission, and Clinical Training Program for information about what we offer at Berkeley Optometry.

The Practice of Optometry

Optometrists hold more than 30,000 jobs in the United States. About two-thirds of these are in private practice, although there is a growing trend to join partnerships or group practices. While the majority of optometrists work in general practice, some concentrate in specialty vision care (see the next section, "Growing Demand & Career Choices," and also refer to our page on Optometric Care).

More information on optometry can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco/ocos073.htm). The Handbook notes that for optometry, "Employment is expected to grow faster than average in response to the vision care needs of a growing and aging population. Greater recognition of the importance of vision care, along with rising personal incomes and growth in employee vision care plans, also will spur job growth."

ASCO President Larry J. Davis said, "Over the years, optometric educators have recognized that optometrists are often the most influential factor that causes our students to pursue a career in optometry — a testimony to the career satisfaction that they experience and communicate to others. It is wonderful to have those positive perceptions validated by folks on the outside looking in."

Growing Demand and Career Choices

The demand for vision care services continues to expand and exceed the current resources of the profession. As innovative technologies become available for the diagnosis and treatment of potentially blinding conditions, the need for optometric expertise will be significant, making present and future career prospects for optometrists especially promising. Some of the career choices for optometrists include:

• Private Practice (starting a new practice, acquiring an existing practice, or joining an established group practice, including multidisciplinary medical practices)
• Hospitals and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
• Retail Optical Stores
• Industry (including industrial safety programs, insurance companies, and ophthalmic product manufacturers)
• Military and Public Health Service (PHS)
• Academic Institutions (including teaching and research)
• Specialty Vision Care (specialized optometry in private, clinical, or group practices in areas such as primary care optometry, family practice, infant/toddler/child care, elder care, low vision, sports vision, contact lenses, vision therapy, or vision in the workplace)
• Consulting (including working for academic, industrial, or governmental institution