Over half the people in the United States wear glasses or contact lenses. Optometrist, also known as “Eye Doctors” or “O.D.’s, have to provide there services in order to meet the demands. Optometrists have to be well-educated and friendly people.
All States and the District of Columbia require that optometrists be licensed, which requires a Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited optometry school and passing both a written and a clinical State board examination. Licenses are renewed every one to three years and in all states, continuing education credits are needed for renewal. The Doctor of Optometry degree requires a four-year program proceeded by at least 3 years of study before they even start. Most students hold a bachelor degree or higher. You must have passed college English, Mathematics, Optics, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Biology to get accepted into an optometrist college.
Employment of optometrists is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2008 in response to the vision care needs of a growing and aging population. As baby boomers age, they will be more likely to visit optometrists and ophthalmologists because of the onset of vision problems in middle age, including computer-related vision problems. The demand for optometry services will also increase because of growth in the oldest age group, with their increased likelihood of cataracts, glaucoma, diabe...
Optometry involves of a combination of intricate practical skills and academia allowing the improvement of an individual’s vision as an outcome changing their quality of life. I would feel privileged to gain the opportunity to study Optometry enabling me to improve the ocular health and vision of others as it would be a valuable contribution to the society.
Miguel, Maria Fernanda, ProfessorH. Kent Bowen. Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston and Dr. Bradford J. Shingleton. Harvard Business School. Rev. May 20, 1997.
Optometrists have accepted vision therapy, which is a medical treatment for optical muscle disabilities, as a feasible treatment used for eye related problems; claiming the treatment can strengthen vision and give the patient the opportunity to understand visuals quicker and clearer (Press). Vision therapy originated in the 1950s and over the past 25 years, has gained popularity, mainly because of new technological innovations in the field of treatment. Generally, vision therapy is prescribed as a measure mainly for people between the ages of 3 and 18. With the results from a comprehensive series of eye tests, the optometrist can work with the patient using special instruments—prisms, filters, occluders, and eye lenses—and strengthen the eye muscles, thus improving sight. According to optometrists in favor of vision therapy, these methods of treatment using these instruments function as safer routes to repair eye disabilities. Although vision therapy can yield favorable results, the practice as a treatment for innate eye disabilities has been in hot debate lately; as it can exceed $8000 and insurance companies do not cover the treatment. For decades, insurance companies have refused to accept vision therapy as a legitimate method for repairing eyesight (Boink). Concomitant with lack of insurance, the cost for a full treatment can exceed $8000, and doctors cannot guarantee a successful outcome. Recently, parents of children with eye related disabilities, such as amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (cross-eye), and doctors have attempted to cooperate with public schools to allow families access to school-funded doctors to practice vision therapy. With a tight budget, most schools cannot afford to supply vision therapy, and a...
My journey towards the field of optometry began in an unsuspecting place; a tiny pharmacy situated inside of a local medical facility. Throughout high school, I spent my time outside of class behind a counter, shadowing and working for a pharmacist who instructed me on the many facets of the profession. I always knew I wanted a career in the field of health, and the more I experienced the more I was certain that becoming a pharmacist was the perfect profession for me.
Years after becoming a regular pediatric patient to my own optometrist, I began to reflect on these childhood recollections and seek an interest in the health care field. With lack of exposure to other medical professions, I was uncertain of which career pathway would best suit my interests. Still, nothing compared to the “perfect fit” feeling of optometry. My decision to declare myself a pre-optometry major became inevitable when my academic endeavors and societal interests aligned. Being an only child and lacking company from children my age, I became focused on academic success as an adolescent. I began to notice that as children progress in school, they face increasing demands for visual abilities. If something as simple as a routine eye exam could improve their education, I would like to ensure that this is given the attention it
Towards the end of my secondary education, I was offered a work exposure in health related fields. During the interview, I mentioned that I was interested in the Ophatmic field and was hence assigned to the Opthalmic department of Mater Dei Hospital - Malta’s National Hospital. During the length of this exposure, I was taken under the wing of Mr.Francalanza, the principle orthoptist, who upon hearing that I am interested to commence my studies in this field, made it his utter most priority to inform me to the full about the depths of the career. Apart from witnessing daily patients suffering from strabismus, glaucoma and post stroke cases, I was also prese...
Fortunately, cataract formation on the optical lenses proves to be a malady that is simple to fix. Future scholarship on such a topic could serve to address the remaining high statistic of blindness due to cataracts. Perhaps formation of cataracts is under diagnosed due to limited health care availability for some individuals.
Glaucoma is a common and important health problem. It is one of the leading causes of blindness in Western Society (Hoskins & Kass, 1989). It is responsible for ten percent of all blindness in the United States and continues to be the second or third most common cause of blindness in the world (Bunce, Fraser, & Wormald, 1999). It is estimated that two million people in the United States have been diagnosed as having glaucoma. Glaucoma is known to affect about two percent of Caucasians beginning at the age of 40 with an increasing risk for those over the age of 60. This risk is especially high if a member of the family has glaucoma or diabetes. Further, there is a higher risk of a glaucoma diagnosis for African Americans over the age of 40.
"DC Area Eye Care Doctors and Optometrists." How Contact Lenses Work. N.p., 2009. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. .
My interest in the career of optometry stems from my first experience in the optometry office to receive my first pair of glasses when I was in middle school. I distinctly remember the moment when my optometrist slipped my new glasses over my eyes for the first time. Suddenly, everything in the room came into sharp, clear focus. I knew that the glasses would help me see the board in school, but I was astonished to find that I could see small details about the room, as it had never before occurred to me that I should have been able to see these details. I was also surprised that I was even able to see the expressions on the faces of people who were standing far away from me. It was one of the most incredible, freeing, and empowering moments of my life. As I walked out of the optometry office, I felt
Current Employment Trends: The job outlook for ophthalmic technicians is extremely good, and is expected to increase over time. There are currently more positions available than there are applicants to fill them. There is a continuing demand for ophthalmic care due to the growing elderly population, and therefore a greater demand for ophthalmic technicians.
The educational background needed for both careers include therapy and counseling and biology (Occupational 277). Other courses needed to become an occupational therapist are administration and management, clerical, economics and accounting, customer and personal service, personnel and human resources, and psychology. Occupational therapists must have at least a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy (Occupational 279). Optometrists also need to have completed chemistry, medicine, and dentistry, education and training, and foreign languages. A completed three years of preoptometric study at an accredited college or university is required to receive a Doctor of Optometry degree (Cosgrove 807).
I am aware of the challeneges and demands that the field of optometry holds, however, I am committed to becoming an optometrist. I am quite passionate about this field, and my desire in this field has only been strengthened through my experiences. It is for these reasons that I would like to pursure a D.O.
When the contact lens was invented, the world of vision correction was altered forever. No longer were those people lacking perfect 20/20 vision forced to look any different than everyone else. Both discrete and revolutionary, the contact lens provided a brand new, viable, alternate solution to an age-old problem. After centuries of engineering and discovery the contact lens has evolved greatly. Presently contact lenses are made hard or soft, for daily or continuous wear, gas permeable, and even providing ultraviolet protection. A properly fitted pair of today’s discrete, convenient, versatile, and inexpensive contact lenses provide the best form of vision correction available in today’s market.