Optometrists are primary eye care physicians who perform eye exams to check for vision problems and eye diseases. They prescribe eyeglasses, contact lenses, and treat minor eye conditions. To become an optometrist requires 4 years of undergraduate study, 4 years of optometry school including classroom and clinical training, and passing board exams. Optometrists work in a variety of settings like retail offices, hospitals, private practice, and group practices.

2. WHAT IS AN OPTOMETRIST?
Optometrists are primary
care physicians
for the eyes.

3. OK, SO WHAT DO THEY REALLY DO?
Perform eye exams to check for vision problems and diseases including checking
the glasses prescription and fitting contact lenses
Prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses as needed
Diagnose and manage eye diseases
Counsel patients regarding surgical and non-surgical options to meet their visual
needs
Provide both pre-operative and post-operative consultation and care
Diagnose systemic conditions that have eye-related symptoms
Minor surgeries (such as foreign body in eye)

4. HOW TO BECOME AN OPTOMETRIST
Graduate Testing
Undergraduate
4 years with 4 years of Board
a major graduate Exams
generally in schooling. 1) National
an area of First 2 ½ written exam
science years are on general
classroom sciences
based, rest 2) National
of schooling practical
is externship exam
where performing
students see an eye exam
patients
3) Exam for
state
licensing

5. SALARY AND JOB OUTLOOK
Expected to grow 33% from 2010 to 2020, creating 11,300 new jobs over the 10-
year period.
The number of people with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, has increased in
recent years. These diseases frequently cause vision problems and require
treatment from optometrists.
Increasing number of insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, provide
some vision or eye-care insurance coverage.
Top 10%
Salary as of
May 2010
Median
Bottom 10%
$0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000

6. WHERE DO OPTOMETRISTS WORK?
Retail
Offices, Hospitals, Outpatient Private Practice Group Practice
Ctrs

7. WELCOME TO EYE ASSOCIATES OF LANCASTER

8. INSIDE A GROUP PRACTICE OFFICE
EYE
ASSOCIATE
S OF
LANCASTE
R
DR. MELISSA
WALKER

9. WHY DID YOU BECOME AN OPTOMETRIST?
In her own words…

10. OPTOMETRIST VS. OPHTHALMOLOGIST VS. OPTICIAN

11. THE ‘EYES’ HAVE IT…
Ocular health is closely linked to systemic health. When
checking the eyes, optometrists are also looking for
signs of other systemic
diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, thyroid
disease and many others.

12. DID YOU KNOW…
Optometrists wear white jackets to keep the
bacteria they encounter during the day off of
their clothes, just as other medical personnel
wears scrubs.
There is no legal reason why an optometrist can’t
do an exam on his/herself, but physically he/she
may not be able to perform this duty.

13. WORKS CITED
"Advancing and Promoting Optometric Education." Home - Association of Schools and
Colleges of Optometry. Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, n.d.
Web. 2 Feb. 2013.
"American Academy of Ophthalmology ." American Academy of Ophthalmology .
American Academy of Ophthalmology , n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2013.
"American Academy of Optometry - AAO Homepage." American Academy of Optometry
- AAO Homepage. American Academy of Optometry, n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
"American Optometric Association - Serving Doctors of Optometry & Their Patients."
American Optometric Association. American Optometric Association, n.d. Web. 1
Feb. 2013.
"BibMe: Fast & Easy Bibliography Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian - Free." BibMe:
Fast & Easy Bibliography Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian - Free. N.p., n.d.
Web. 24 Feb. 2013.
"Eye Associates of Lancaster PA: Optometrists Ophthalmologists Eye Doctors." Eye
Associates of Lancaster PA: Optometrists Ophthalmologists Eye Doctors. Eye
Associates of Lancaster, n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
"Optometrist." explorehealthcareers.org. Institute for Oral Health, n.d. Web. 1 Feb.
2013.
"Optometrists : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics."
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2013.
Walker, Dr. Melissa. Personal interview. 31 Jan. 2013.