What does optometry involve

Optometrists examine patients' eyes, give advice on visual problems and prescribe and fit spectacles or contact lenses when needed. As an optometrist, you'll be trained to recognise eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts, as well as general health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

You'll refer patients to doctors or other optometrists with higher qualifications when necessary. Patients range from very young children to the elderly. You may see both NHS and private patients. You may sometimes, with higher qualifications, share the care of patients with chronic conditions or manage patients with low-risk eye conditions. Most of these activities involve the use of specialist equipment.

Your salary will vary, depending on whether you're working in a community practice or for the National Health Service NHS. Salaries and benefits may also vary between independent and chain practices. Salaries depend upon supply and demand, so you may earn more in areas where there are fewer optometrists. Additional benefits can include commission, a bonus scheme, health insurance, life insurance, a company car and discounted eyewear. Working hours are usually 9. In community practice, weekend and evening work is common, particularly in larger chains.

Career breaks are possible, but unless you're intending on taking a significant amount of time off you may wish to remain on the General Optical Council GOC register, which means doing a certain amount of continuing education and training CET during your break.

To work as an optometrist you must be registered with the GOC, the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. In order to do this, you must:. There are a number of universities currently running approved degree courses. Entry requirements vary between universities but you'll typically need a minimum of AAB at A-level, or equivalent, with at least two science subjects.

Graduates with a degree or above in a science-related subject may also be considered for entry on to an approved undergraduate course. Degree courses usually last three years full time four years in Scotland , although some providers offer an integrated four-year Master of Optometry, which incorporates the pre-registration period. Students who successfully complete this course are fully qualified and able to register as optometrists with the GOC.

See GOC - What to study and where for a list of approved course providers. Once you've got a or above from an approved provider and have a valid Certificate of Clinical Competency, which is awarded on graduation and is valid for two years, you can undertake pre-registration training. If you fail to achieve a or if your certificate expires you must successfully complete the GOC's Optometry Progression Scheme before entering a pre-registration placement.

You can also contact local optometry practices to see whether they're willing to offer training placements. The pre-registration period includes work-based assessments and enables you to build on the knowledge that you gained at university and apply it to real practice in the workplace.

Successful completion of the pre-registration training and final assessment examination allows you to register as an optometrist with the GOC.

Competition for pre-registration positions is high so it's important to get some work experience. Some students work in practices at weekends or during university holidays. Common surgeries for an ophthalmologist may include :. The career path of an ophthalmologist can be varied, from treating disease and performing surgery to prescribing eyeglasses and contact lenses. However, because of their extensive training, ophthalmologists can also move into scientific research and subspecialization.

In , there were just over 19, active ophthalmologists in the U. An optician can dispense prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses.

They are not medical doctors. There are different educational pathways to becoming an optician, including a high school diploma, a degree, and an apprenticeship. Through a degree or approved training program, a person may acquire licensure. This is important because some states require state licensure for opticians. A set of continued education hours may also be necessary each year to maintain the license. An optician also needs good communication skills, as they regularly engage with the general public.

Opticians can work in the offices of optometrists or physicians or in retail stores specializing in eyewear and optical goods. Opticians are likely to be in demand in the future, due to an increasingly aging population and additional eyewear requirements. An optometrist has earned the doctor of optometry degree. An ophthalmologist is a medically trained doctor, while opticians are healthcare technicians who can help fit corrective vision devices.

If an optometrist cannot offer medical treatment, they will refer a person to an ophthalmologist, who can perform more advanced procedures. As a career, ophthalmology is often more financially rewarding than optometry, but the education and training are more extensive and time consuming. Ophthalmology is the study of medical conditions relating to the eye. Learn about the specialisms of ophthalmologists here, as well as the medical…. Detached retina is when the retina peels away from the back of the eye.

For example, they may counsel patients on how quitting smoking or losing weight can reduce vision problems. Many optometrists own their practice, and those who do may spend more time on general business activities, such as hiring employees, ordering supplies, and marketing their business. Optometrists also may work as postsecondary teachers, do research in optometry colleges, or work as consultants in the eye care industry. Optometrists should not be confused with ophthalmologists or opticians.

Ophthalmologists are physicians who perform eye surgery and treat eye diseases in addition to performing eye exams and prescribing eyeglasses and contact lenses.

For more information on ophthalmologists, see the physicians and surgeons profile. Opticians fit and adjust eyeglasses and, in some states, fill contact lens prescriptions that an optometrist or ophthalmologist has written.

Optometrists held about 42, jobs in The largest employers of optometrists were as follows:. Most optometrists work full time.

Optometrists must complete a Doctor of Optometry O. Optometrists need an O. In , there were 20 accredited O. Applicants to O. Required courses include those in biology, chemistry, physics, English, and math. They combine classroom learning and supervised clinical experience. Coursework includes anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, optics, visual science, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the visual system.

After finishing an O. Areas of specialization for residency programs include family practice, low vision rehabilitation, pediatric or geriatric optometry, and ocular disease, among others.

All states require optometrists to be licensed. To get a license, a prospective optometrist must have an O. Some states require individuals to pass an additional clinical exam or an exam on laws relating to optometry.

All states require optometrists to take continuing education classes and to renew their license periodically. The board of optometry in each state can provide information on licensing requirements.

This will also be needed when administering any medicines or visual aids. Based on your learned scientific knowledge, you will need to make important decisions with confidence, which could greatly affect a patient's life.

You will have to use a variety of optical tools and special machinery to identify and inspect any potential vision problems your patients may have. Here at Bellerbys College, we offer multiple pathways to international students that can be a great start to a career in optometry.

Our Science and Pharmacy Foundation allows students to focus wholly on the study of healthcare and pharmaceuticals, while our Biology A Level can be taken alongside two or three other subjects for a well-rounded base knowledge.

Both courses support students with English language tuition, and provide solid preparation for progression to an optometry degree at university. This will generally be determined by business performance, as well as professional experience and position. To get onto a degree this line of work requires, you should have three A Levels , including two in Biology , Maths, Physics or Chemistry — graded AAB — or an equivalent Foundation qualification.

After completing the appropriate degree, you will need to register with the General Optical Council GOC to become a qualified optometrist. Registering will require a year of occupied pre-registration training and assessments. Does optometry sound like the career for you? Once qualified, an optometrist will often experience a varied and insightful career.

This can involve going down multiple different paths, but generally an optometrist can expect to be constantly expanding their knowledge and learning on the job. For a career in the public sector — i.