How To Become An Optometrist

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How Long Does It Take, What Degree Do You Need, and More

Optometrists

Optometrists diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.

Salary
$125440
Becoming One
Very Hard
Education
Doctoral degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



Table of contents
  1. Summary
  2. Steps to become one
  3. Popular degree levels
  4. How long does it take

Summary

Degree Optometrists need to earn a Bachelor’s degree and a Doctoral degree.
Degree field Students may earn any Bachelor's degree but need a Doctor of Optometry (DO) degree from an accredited program.
License or certification Optometrists need to obtain a state license to practice medicine.
Duration to become one 8 to 9 years
Difficulty to become one Very Hard

Optometrists Requirements

Step 1: Excel at All Major Topics During High School

Achieving good grades can increase your chances of getting into a good school. While Biology is important for aspiring Optometrists, you will also need good scores in English, Math, Chemistry, and Physics.

Step 2: Earn an Undergraduate Degree

Optometry programs require students to complete at least three years of undergraduate coursework. However, optometry programs are highly competitive. As most students complete their undergraduate degree before applying for an optometry program, earning a Bachelor’s degree has become the standard educational path for this career.

Optometry programs accept students with degrees in any field of study. However, due to the competitiveness of the programs, students are often encouraged to follow the same path, which includes majoring in Biological Sciences, such as Biology or Chemistry. 

No matter the major, students need to complete specific coursework during their undergraduate studies. Common required coursework includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Math.

Step 3: Pass the Optometry Admission Test

Aspiring Optometrists need to pass the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) before applying to a four-year Optometry program. The tests are available year-round through approved Prometric Testing Centers. Achieving a high score on the OAT can increase your chances of getting into an optometry program.

The OAT includes multiple-choice questions and is divided into four parts. The four sections include a survey of the natural sciences, physics, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning.

As your score impacts your ability to gain acceptance to an optometry program, many aspiring Optometrists take practice tests. The American Dental Association (ADA) offers access to a variety of paid training modules that are completed online.

Step 4: Complete a Doctor of Optometry Program

Optometrists are required to hold Doctoral degrees from a Doctor of Optometry (DO) program. The programs are available through optometry schools and universities and colleges with optometry departments. Optometry programs must be accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE).

Optometry programs last four years and include coursework in Anatomy, Optics, and Visual Science. As with programs available at medical schools, Doctor of Optometry programs include a combination of classroom learning and clinical experience.

During your first year, most of your time will be spent in the classroom or a lab. You will receive lectures and clinical instruction in theoretical optics and conducting optometric examinations.

During the second year of optometry school, you will study ocular physiology, psychophysics, ocular diseases, and anomalies of binocular vision.

Students also typically begin clinical experience during the second or third year. Clinical experience is obtained through rotations at clinics and hospitals. Students will work with adult, pediatric, and geriatric patients.

The most intensive training occurs during the fourth year of optometry school. Students begin learning about specialized optometric care while continuing their clinical education. The training focuses on clinical rotations, clinical practice, and externships.

Some programs also introduce practice management courses during the final year. Students learn the basics of managing a private practice to increase their chances of running a successful business.

Step 5: Complete a Residency Program

Completing a residency program is an optional step that many Optometrists use to receive training in a subspecialty of this field.

Residency programs typically last one year and provide advanced clinical training in areas such as Family Practice, Pediatric Optometry, Geriatric Optometry, Low Vision Rehabilitation, and Ocular Disease.

While completing a residency is an optional step for entering this career, it can shorten the path to becoming board-certified. Board certification requires one-year residency training or at least three years of clinical practice. By completing a residency program, you can become board-certified two years sooner.

Step 6: Pass the National Exams to Earn a State License

Optometrists need a state license to practice medicine. The requirements vary by state. However, all states require students to pass a three-part exam.

The first part of the exam covers applied basic science. The second part covers patient assessment and management while the last part assesses your clinical skills.

The exams are administered twice per year and are administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. The exams are graded on a pass/fail basis, but some states may require scores of at least 75 on certain sections of the exam.

States also have the authority to include additional exams. Along with the three-part exam, you may need to pass the Treatment & Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) exam and the Injection Skills Exam (ISE).

The TMOD exam includes 350 multiple-choice questions related to diagnosing, treating, and managing ocular diseases. Students are also assessed on the selection of treatments and the steps for reassessing patients after the initial treatment.

Along with the extra exams, some states require candidates to pass a written test or an exam related to the legal requirements for practicing optometry in the state. As each state has different requirements, Optometrists need to obtain a new state license before practicing in another state.

Step 7: Start Seeking Work as an Optometrist

After passing the board exams and earning your state license, you may begin working as a licensed Optometrist. The most common employers for Optometrists include stand-alone offices operated by corporations, such as the chain vision centers found throughout the country. Optometrists may also work at private practices, hospitals, health clinics, and public health agencies.

Step 8: Consider Obtaining Board Certification

Obtaining board certification is an optional step and separate from obtaining a state license. Board certification is available through the American Board of Optometry.

The requirements for board certification include graduation from an ACOE-accredited optometry school, possession of a valid state license to practice therapeutic optometry, and completion of a one-year residency program or three years of clinical practice. You also need to pass a comprehensive written exam.

What degree do most Optometrists have

Doctoral degree

We did a survey to ask other Optometrists what degree they had when they first became one. Here are the results.

Doctoral degree
91.3%

First Professional degree
8.7%

Less than a High School Diploma
0%

How long does it take

8 to 9 years

Optometrists typically earn a four-year Bachelor’s degree and complete a four-year Optometry program. Some Optometrists also complete a one-year residency program to gain specialized training.


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