How To Become an Optometrist

Those looking for a career that involves helping people and running a successful business may want to learn how to become an optometrist. Certified optometrists don’t require as much schooling as a medical doctor. Still, they have a significant responsibility to help people solve vision and eye health problems. 

Optometrists also must have strong business skills. Running a team of staff, ordering equipment, and marketing your business can be a challenge when you want to primarily focus on helping patients. Once you obtain your optometry degree, trust Weave to deliver tools that allow you to start and support your optometry clinic.

Understanding the Role of an Optometrist

Before you start looking for an accredited optometry school, it’s important to understand the work required.

Responsibilities and Daily Tasks

As an eye care professional, optometrists perform several tasks when seeing patients, including:

• Deliver eye exams
• Detect eye disorders or diseases
• Assess vision problems
• Prescribe corrective lenses
• Prescribe medications
• Treat common eye conditions like dry eye, infections, or complications from diabetes
• Recommend specialists if necessary
• Offer care before and after eye surgeries
• Offer advice on maintaining eye health

Optometrists play a key role in providing healthcare for their patients. You may catch the early signs of a dangerous eye disease, helping the patient receive care as quickly as possible.

Difference Between Optometrists and Ophthalmologists

Learning the difference between ophthalmologist and optometrist job descriptions can help you decide which type of degree you want to seek.

• An optometrist performs exams, diagnoses eye conditions, and prescribes corrective eyewear. Optometrists are not medical doctors. To join the optometry profession, they must obtain a Doctor of Optometry degree and an optometry license, with at least seven years of schooling required.
• An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who performs eye surgery and provides treatments for eye illnesses, such as ocular disease. These doctors require at least 12 years of training and medical school education. 

Both professions have great job outlook prospects, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Educational Path to Becoming an Optometrist

Before going to school to learn how to become an optometrist, you’ll need at least a few years of college. 

Pre-Optometry Undergraduate Education

You don’t need to be an optometry major in your undergraduate career before attending optometry school. Some students choose courses in natural sciences, like biology or organic chemistry, to complete optometry school prerequisite courses. You may need a bachelor’s degree before you can apply to certain optometry schools. Others only require a certain number of undergrad credit hours for a third-year college student rather than a bachelor’s degree.

Optometry Admission Test (OAT)

Before receiving acceptance, students must complete the OAT. Most schools have minimum test scores that applicants must meet to apply.

Students can use practice exams and study guides to prepare for the OAT.

Optometry School

As with selecting a college for an undergraduate degree, prospective students will want to research the optometry schools they may want to attend. American Optometric Association (AOA) board certification is available at most schools.

Choosing the Right Optometry School

Minimum cumulative GPA requirements, curriculum, and clinical training opportunities all help set optometry schools apart. Choosing among schools that offer a wide range of clinical training can help with setting up a clinic in the future.

Optometry School Curriculum

The training and hands-on experience students receive through optometry programs can include performing eye illness screenings, vision exams, and specialty exams.

Additionally, coursework in an optometry program often varies based on any specialty training the school offers. Most schools require basic coursework in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and research methodology.

Optometry Training Requirements

Students who want to learn how to become an optometrist must gain clinical experience and pass the necessary exams to graduate.

Clinical Experience and Internships

The fourth year of optometry school often focuses on participating in clinical training. It can involve an internship at a local private practice or gaining hands-on experience with vision tests and ocular anatomy at a practice optometry clinic the school operates. A diverse clinical experience helps you determine whether a certain area of eye care matches your interests, such as a specialty in contact lenses.

Passing the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Exams

Optometry students can find study guides and prep tests for the NBEO, which consists of three separate exams.

• Applied Basic Science (ABS)
• Patient Assessment and Management (PAM)
• Patient Encounters and Performance Skills (PEPS)

PEPS will replace the Clinical Skills Examination (CSE) exam for students in the fall of 2024.

Post-Graduate Opportunities

Even after graduating from optometry school, obtaining an optometry license, and passing the NBEO exams, opportunities for continuing education exist. These can prepare you to run your own clinic.

Optometry Residencies and Specializations

A one-year residency is a postdoctoral program that allows additional clinical training before optometrists begin practicing. Participating in a residency builds on the training you receive as a student. Some of its benefits include:

• 12 months of working in a real-world setting
• Opportunities for self-directed learning
• Participation in seminars
• Hands-on instruction and experience

During this optional residency, optometrists could participate in specializations if desired, such as sight problems for children and seniors or eye problems and refractive errors after a brain injury.

Continuing Education and Professional Development

Educational opportunities never stop for optometrists of all experience levels. Optometry program continuing education provides information on new techniques to treat patients.

Weave offers help with optometry continuing education programs and materials.

Building a Successful Optometry Practice

Weave can be your partner when you’re ready to open a clinic.

Setting Up Your Practice

You could start a new optometry practice or take steps to purchase an existing optometry clinic. Either way, follow these guidelines:

• Assess your financial capabilities
• Find the right location
• Determine what kind of practice you want to open
• Figure out what equipment you’ll need

No matter which option you choose, immediately set up a business plan to serve as your roadmap.

Utilizing Technology and Tools

When it’s time to begin serving patients and managing your clinic staff, Weave has multiple tools to help you market your business, improve patient communications, and streamline operations, including:

• Practice management tools
• Business marketing tools
• Phone communication systems
• Patient reminder and communication tools
• Online appointment scheduling tools

Weave Is Ready To Support Your Optometry Practice 

Learning how to become an optometrist can be an amazing educational journey. Once you hold your degree, though, additional work must begin to make your practice a success. Weave has multiple tools to help you serve your patients efficiently and give you the best chance at growth. 

To learn more about what our tools can do for your clinic, reach out to Weave today for a free demo of our services.