WorldExecutivesDigest.com | Career As An Optometrist – Things To Consider | The eyes are one of the most vital sensory organs of the human body. The boon of sight makes survival easy and less challenging. In primitive times, if a human became blind or faced any sight issues that would have made the survival of the whole tribe difficult, they well killed. Thankfully, in today’s times, an optometrist can help overcome vision issues with minimal efforts. Many are considering a career in the field of optometry and if you are one of them, the pros and cons of the job will help you make an informed decision.
Who Is An Optometrist?
Usually, people confuse between three optic-related jobs: optician, optometrist, and ophthalmologist. While all three deal with eye-care and vision correction, there are differences, especially based on the specialization.
- Opticians are basically technicians whose training allows them to check and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses. They are generally reliant on the prescriptions from an ophthalmologist or optometrist but cannot prescribe corrective measures. They cannot prescribe any medicine and perform any eye surgery. They can help you to choose the best eyeglasses or contact lenses.
- Ophthalmologists are eye-care specialists who have obtained an MD in eye care. To become an Ophthalmologist, you need to complete your medical degree and eight years of specialized training, and then you can perform surgery to correct vision issues. They can also actively get involved in scientific research work related to vision care and cure.
- Optometrists are professionals who provide preliminary eye-care solutions and corrective measures via lenses. They can check for eye disease and vision correction but if the case requires an expert solution or surgery, they refer the patients to ophthalmologists. They are, technically, not doctors but they complete a total of four years of degree in optometry. They are eligible to prescribe certain corrective measures, including medications, for certain vision issues.
With the difference explained, an optometrist is well in demand, and having a degree in the same not only is prestigious but also requires a certain amount of hard work.
Pros And Cons Of Becoming An Optometrist
The primary job description for an optometrist includes:
- Conducting eye examinations to check the vision accuracy of patients.
- They conduct binocular vision evaluation which means that they check how well the patient can focus on an object and has proper eye coordination.
- Certain other diseases like diabetes and thyroid cause vision disparity and that can be assessed correctly by an optometrist.
- If a patient undergoes surgery, like that for a cataract, then pre- and post-operative care is provided by an optometrist.
Once the job description is made clear, let us look at what you will gain, or lose, being an optometrist.
Pros:
- Proper work-life balance with a regular 40-hour per week workload. You also will not be on-call for anything. You get to do your job within a designated time and then have time to enjoy other aspects of your life.
- Being an optometrist means you get to work in an environment that is clean and without any chance of getting contamination. Since you will not be performing any surgeries, you can enjoy a clean and low on stress work life.
- You can start your own business and choose your work hours and pattern.
Cons:
- While the job is fun, they may not be initially too high.
- The tuition fees are higher.
With this concise profiling of the job, you can make an informed decision. That said, opting to be an optometrist is not just a great service to people, but you also get to learn and expand your knowledge.