A nearly blind patient enters the optometrist office and is unable to see. They take several tests with the doctor prescribes glasses and surgery. Now the patient can finally have clear vision, and she is able to see her child for the first time. Being an optometrist is very interesting and difficult at the same time. Doing this job, one can finally be able to help people with their sight. This job can include performing minor surgeries, prescribing people eyeglasses or contacts. This job can also give people medications to help if there is something wrong with their eyes.
Also, the education is quick and the salary is enough to help one in life. This job involves many difficult tasks but in the end it also feels amazing being able to help someone finally be able to improve his/her vision. Being an optometrist involves many tasks. Some are examining the eyes, prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, determining patient’s ability to focus, vision therapy, medications for eye diseases, some surgical procedures, and more (Field). Optometrists need to know the internal and external eye structure.
They also need to let patients know proper eye care, like certain procedures to correct their vision, provide patients surgeries and eye care. Optometrists use instruments and certain tests to examine someone’s eye health, color and depth perception, focusing and coordination of the eye, and their visual activity. Patients are referred to a specialist if they have an eye disease caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Also some optometrists can teach this field to other people training to be an optometrist.
Optometrists also need to know how to run an office. They need to know how to do this so if their boss needs help then they can help out and maybe run their own office one day. Also the work hours are very flexible, “Optometrists generally have excellent working conditions. They usually work in the offices of physicians or other health practitioners but are free to set their own hours and arrange their vacations and free time” (“Optometrists”). This quote shows how this job does not require a certain amount of hours; one is able to make their own hours.
Being an optometrist requires many difficult tasks but in the end it is a great way to help out people. Optometrist’s salary are very high and they have many places to work. Optometrists get a manageable salary, have insurance, and get paid vacations: The lowest 10 percent earned an annual wage of less than $52,720, while the highest 10 percent earned an annual wage of $185,320 or more… Salaried optometrists usually receive benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, and the opportunity to participate in retirement plans. “Optometrists”)
Optometrists get the benefit of having insurance, retirement, and paid vacations. Optometrists have many places to work at. They can either work at a hospital, office, or run their own business. If one would work in an office, they would need to know how to work well with others and know how to run an office. An optometrist can also work for someone else, “They may be a private practitioner, operate a franchise optical store, or be an employee of another Optometrist.
Private practitioners or franchise optical store operators may also be responsible for running their office… or work for HMOs or hospitals,” (Field). This shows that there are many places open for an optometrist to work at. Optometrists have a variety of places to work with a well salary that can support one. The education to become an optometrist is only a couple of years. Even though the price for the education is high in the end it will be worth it, “The hardest part is the cost of education is high, and the starting salaries are still low” (“Optometry As a Career”).
Many subjects are needed to know to be able to do this job: The four-year program includes classroom and clinical training in geometric, physical, physiological and ophthalmic optics; ocular anatomy, ocular disease, ocular myotology, ocular pharmacology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the vision system; color, form, space, movement and vision perception; design and modification of the visual environment; and vision performance and vision screening. “Optometry As a Career”)
This education is very important because one would need to know how to do surgeries, prescribe glasses, and maybe even help with vision therapy. Every year of college is very important so one could be a perfect optometrist, “Completing a residency in optometry is a unique and invaluable experience” (“About Optometric Education”). Being an optometrist is a very interesting job because one is able to help people be able to have the perfect vision. Being an optometrist takes a lot of work but in the end it feel very good to be able to help someone out with eyesight.
The education is very helpful and can help one be able to perfect their job. The salary for an optometrist will support one. The tasks that an optometrist does are very interesting and helpful. Also, optometrist get great offers such as, insurance and paid vacations. I still want to be an optometrist in the future because I think it is an interesting topic and field to be in. Optometrists make a big difference in people’s lives because they can make people be able to see the world clearly.
