Optometrists examine and treat minor eye disorders with non-surgical options. To become an optometrist, one must obtain a Doctor of Optometry degree and a license. Optometrists are not ophthalmologists and cannot perform surgeries.
An optometrist is a medical professional who examines the eyes, diagnoses minor disorders or eye diseases, and treats them with non-surgical options. Optometrists practice optometry, the study of the eye, vision and all related human processes. Optometrists are allied healthcare professionals. This means that they do not have medical training, but are essential to the functioning of a health system. Those who wish to become an optometrist must first obtain a Doctor of Optometry degree and then a license to practice.
The first step if you want to become an optometrist starts in college, where the student takes optometry preparation classes at an accredited college or university. Pre-optometry classes differ from school to school. These classes usually consist of a combination of biology and chemistry classes, as well as physics and calculus classes. Optometry preparatory classes are not exclusive to any major studies. In fact, some optometry schools only require you to complete preparatory classes, not earn an actual bachelor’s degree.
The next important step for someone who wants to become an optometrist is to gain admission to an accredited optometry school. Students must take the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) and receive a passing grade. The student then applies to the optometry school of their choice. Admissions guidelines differ from school to school, but most use OAT scores, graduation scores, and interviews in the decision-making process.
To become an optometrist, a student will complete four years of study at an accredited optometry school. There they study to complete their intensive study of optometry. When the student graduates from optometry school, he will receive a Doctor of Optometry degree. While the student is already an optometrist, he still needs to pass a state board exam to legally practice. Once the state license is received, the student can begin practicing optometry.
Optometrists should not be confused with ophthalmologists. While both professions study optometry, the bulk of an optometrist’s job is to examine a patient’s eyes and provide prescriptive corrective options. They can also detect certain eye conditions and manage them with non-surgical treatments. The work of an ophthalmologist has a much wider range, including diagnosis, treatment and surgery of eye diseases or disorders. Ophthalmologists are required to obtain a full medical degree, but this is not required to become an optometrist.
For example, an optometrist may prescribe contact lenses or glasses for a patient. If the same patient needs a corneal replacement, the optometrist will not be able to perform this procedure. He would have to refer the patient to an ophthalmologist for surgery.
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