Optometry Research Paper

For years, people with blurry vision have had the opportunity to see clearly and optometrists have made this possible. Some people may take their vision for granted, but the world would not be what it is today if all the people that wear glasses or contact lenses, which is over half of the people in the United States, did not have the chance to see everything around them clearly. The Optometry profession is dedicated to the prevention of blindness and the enhancement of visual function. Optometrists have the satisfaction of helping their patients care for the most highly valued human sense - sight. Optometrists, also known as "Eye Doctors" or "O.D.'s" , examine eyes to diagnose vision problems and eye diseases. They determine a course of treatment or refer patients to ophthalmologists and other specialists(Career: Optometrists 1). They have to be well-educated and friendly people because they have many job tasks that they must perform and they have to adjust their schedules to correspond with their patients needs.

To become an Optometrists, a lot of education and training is needed. To actually practice optometry, all states require that optometrists be licensed, which requires a Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited optometry school and passing both a written and a clinical State board examination. The Doctor of Optometry degree requires a four-year program proceeded by at least 3 years of study before they even start. Most students hold a bachelor degree or higher. In order to be accepted to an optometrist college, it is required that courses in English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology have been passed. Applicants also must take the Optometry Admissions Test, most of which do so during their sophomore or junior year. In order to be a good optometrist, it helps to be a tactful communicator who is able to work with their hands. Along with the need of the ability to talk to patients, one should have good business sense if they are planning to run their own practice. A person looking at this career also should be able to reason logically, use arithmetic quickly and accurately, work agreeable with others, see details in pictures or charts, and base decisions on standards which can be measured or checked.

Most Optometrists are in practice by themselves, while others are in partnerships or group practice with other Optometrists. Some people working in this career hold two or more jobs. For example, an optometrist may have a private practice, but also work in another practice. According to the American Optometric Association, about two-thirds of practicing optometrists are in private practice, although there is a growing trend to join partnerships or group practices(Occupational Handbook 287). However, the estimated cost of equipment and furniture necessary for opening a private optometric practice starts around $49,600, which may prevent some people from immediately establishing their own business(MOIS 1). Those that do own their own practice, handle the business aspects of running an office, such as developing a patient base, hiring employees, keeping records, and ordering equipment and supplies. Optometrists in private practice usually work about 31 to 45 hours per week, working night and weekend hours to suit patient schedules, while those who are not self-employed usually work a normal 40-hour week.

While the majority of optometrists work in general practice, some concentrate on special areas, such as specialty vision care. Others specialize in developing and implementing ways to protect worker' eyes from on-the-job train or injury. Optometrists may work with the elderly, children, or partially sighted persons who need specialized visual aids to improve their vision. Also, some specialize in contact lenses, sports vision, or vision therapy. A few teach optometry or perform research, while others choose a career in the military, public health, or other government service. Still others may practice at hospitals, clinics, teaching institutions, and community health centers

Being a D.O. requires performing many different tasks within one career. They perform comprehensive examinations of both the internal and external structures of the eye. They examine eyes and related structures to determine visual performance and efficiency and to detect eye diseases and other abnormalities. Optometrists refer patients to other health care providers for further diagnosis and treatment for a variety of systemic and neurological conditions, such as visual pathology or a systemic disease, which are frequently diagnosed during the primary eye examination. Also, they diagnose the probable cause of defective vision along with testing eyes for