Eyes are among the greatest blessings of nature, allowing us to see the world in all its colors—a gift we can hardly imagine living without. But we pay very little attention in taking care of our ability to see. Since the advancement of digital devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets, people are more occupied with these devices, and it has adversely affected their eye health. Unfortunately, due to lack of proper care, many people today suffer from weak eyesight requiring glasses, and in severe cases, some even face partial or complete vision loss.
However, we can always rely on eye doctors and eye care health professionals for maintaining our eye health. Among these professionals, optometrists play a central role in diagnosing vision problems, prescribing corrective lenses, and managing various ocular conditions. As a career, becoming a licensed optometrist in the USA can be a rewarding and impactful choice. Therefore, in this blog, we will explain what an optometrist does and the step-by-step process to become an optometrist in the USA.
Who is an Optometrist?
An optometrist is a healthcare expert who specializes in the primary care of the eyes. They conduct complete eye examinations, diagnose vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia, and prescribe corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) as a treatment for eye patients. Additionally, optometrists also diagnose and manage eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Moreover, optometrists act as eye care professionals, and they provide continuous pre- and post-operative care for patients undergoing eye surgery. Optometrists are often the first point of contact when patients experience vision issues, making their role essential in the broader field of eye care.
What’s the Difference Between an Optometrist, an Ophthalmologist, and an Optician?
It is clear that optometrists are eye care providers, but what about the other eye care providers, ophthalmologists? What is their role, and how are they different from optometrists? Let’s break down their roles in detail:
Although both optometrists and ophthalmologists specialize in eye care, their training and scope of practice are quite different. An optometrist earns a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree and makes their career as an eye care expert. Their primary focus is on vision testing, prescribing corrective lenses, detecting ocular diseases, and providing certain treatments for the eyes. While they can prescribe medications for some eye conditions, depending on state laws, their practice is generally centered on non-surgical care.
In contrast, an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO) who completes medical school followed by several years of residency training. Ophthalmologists are licensed to perform eye surgeries such as cataract removal, LASIK, and corneal transplants, in addition to diagnosing and treating complex medical eye conditions in patients.
In the field of eye care, we also have opticians. An optician is a professional who makes glasses and contact lenses for patients. They use the guides provided by an optometrist to determine the lens power and then create the prescribed glasses or contact lenses for eye patients.
Optometrists serve as the frontline providers for primary eye care and vision correction, while ophthalmologists handle advanced medical treatments and surgical procedures. On the other hand, opticians are limited to making lenses for patients. All these professionals often work together to ensure patients receive comprehensive eye care.
In addition to these professions, some optometrists often hire assistants called optometrist assistants. These physician’s assistants have the responsibility to handle small administrative tasks and patient management at hospitals and clinics.
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Responsibilities of an Optometrist
Optometrists are the first point of contact for eye diseases and managing eye care. Even if they don’t do eye surgeries, they still have many responsibilities regarding patient eye care. So, daily, they have the following duties for their patients:
- Comprehensive Eye Exams
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017, more than 7 million Americans had vision loss or blindness and had corrected visual acuity treatment. So, optometrists assess visual acuity, eye coordination, depth perception, and overall ocular health. This gives them a complete overview of the eye health of the patients, and then they recommend the needed treatment.
- Diagnosis of Vision Conditions
If a patient who experiences eye vision problems such as blurred vision or double vision, the optometrist will diagnose them. They detect refractive errors in the eyes and provide corrective solutions to patients.
- Detection of Eye Diseases
Many times, patients experience severe discomfort and vision problems. It is mainly due to eye diseases or a condition. So, optometrists identify early signs of conditions like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and macular degeneration and give proper eye treatment to patients to restore their eye health.
- Prescription of Corrective Lenses
After diagnosing the real issue that affects a patient’s eyes, optometrists then prescribe the treatment for it. It usually includes medicines like eye drops, glasses, and contact lenses for ongoing support of the eyes.
- Immediate Eye Care
Eye problems also include discomfort and pain due to eye infections. In this case, optometrists prescribe medications for certain eye infections and conditions. Eye patients need to strictly follow the instructions of the optometrist until the infection is treated completely.
- Pre- and Post-Surgery Care
Certain eye conditions or diseases lead to eye surgeries. So, before and after the surgery, patients have to visit an optometrist and discuss their eye condition. The optometrist guides them well on how ophthalmologists conduct surgeries and how the patients have to maintain their eye care post-surgery.
- Patient Education
For every part of the body, we need to take proper care of it. So, for eyes, patients visit an optometrist to get advice on eye care, preventive practices to maintain eye health, and manage chronic eye conditions.
How to Become a Licensed Optometrist in the USA
In a survey by the BLS in 2024, the occupation growth of optometrists is projected to increase by 8% from 2024 to 2034. This highlights the need for more optometrists in the USA, encouraging emerging youth to consider this profession. As optometrists are not eye doctors, they still need dedication and professional training to treat patients. So, follow the steps below to become an optometrist in the USA:
1. Complete a Bachelor’s Degree
The first step is to take admission in an undergraduate degree. Students can take a science major like biology, chemistry, physics, or health sciences to get a strong foundation. While this is not a mandatory requirement. However, it is better to build a medical education foundation before taking the major in optometry.
2. Earn a Doctor of Optometry Degree
The most important step is to enroll in an optometry school. Here, students learn optics, ocular disease, pharmacology, anatomy, and clinical techniques. Through classroom instruction, laboratory training, and clinical practice, students receive complete training in optometry, and the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree takes four years to complete.
3. Get Optometrist License
After passing the optometry school, students have to obtain their license. The National Board of Examiners (NBEO) is a three-part examination that evaluates:
- Part I – ABS: It assesses students’ ability to treat and diagnose eye patients.
- Part II – PAM, TMOD: This exam part focuses on patient assessment, treatment, and management of ocular diseases.
- Part III – CSE: In the final section, students are assessed with real eye patient cases, including diagnosis, optometric equipment management, tests, and treatment skills.
These exams assess the knowledge of applied science, clinical skills, and patient care of students. Passing all sections is mandatory for licensure in the U.S. Additionally, students should also check if they need to get a state-specific license and should pass that additional exam to get the practicing license for their state.
4. Consider a Residency (Optional)
After getting the optometry license, students can also opt for a residency period. It is a one-year residency program that offers advanced training and helps build a career in research and academia for eye care. It is an optional step; however, completing the residency period will make a stronger career profile for students.
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Average Salary of an Optometrist
Optometry is a highly professional career in eye care, offering various career paths to students. They can shift their career to the research field in optometry. However, as a practising optometrist in the USA, they can earn around $134,830.
Medical Settings Where Optometrists Can Work
Optometrists have a variety of eye care responsibilities, and due to the nature of their profession, they have many medical settings where they can practice their profession. Additionally, optometrists have the opportunity to work part-time and enjoy the benefits of locum tenens. These healthcare settings include:
- Private Optometry Clinics
- Hospitals and Medical Centers
- Retail and Corporate Eye Care Centers
- Military and Veterans Affairs Facilities
- Academic Institutions
- Specialty Clinics
Journey Toward a Career in Optometry
Similar to the path of becoming a doctor, pursuing a career as an optometrist is a structured journey that combines academic skills, clinical training, and professional licensure. While optometrists are not medical doctors like ophthalmologists, their role is critical in providing primary eye care, diagnosing vision problems, and detecting serious ocular conditions at early stages. Students who like to pursue this profession have to undergo comprehensive studies and training and earn their official state license to help patients with eye care.
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