• Bachelor’s program
• and then attend a 4-year optometry program to receive your Doctor of Optometry degree (OD)

Optometrist duties and responsibilities

An Optometrist works to improve their patients’ vision through examinations, diagnostic tools and tailored prescriptions. Their daily duties and responsibilities often include: 

• Collecting information about their patients’ medical history and current symptoms
• Performing detailed eye examinations to detect vision defects and eye abnormalities, injuries or diseases
• Monitor and manage patients’ eye and vision issues during and after a visit
• Offering patients advice about their eyes or vision-related challenges
• Assessing and identifying symptoms of general health conditions, such as liver failure or diabetes
• Supervising the retail aspects of vision care products, including the selling of eye-care products
• Working with other Optometrists and healthcare professionals for coordinated patient care 

Healthcare Team:

Identifying individuals and children with visual impairment or low vision is a critical intervention that can occur at an earlier stage if completed and followed appropriately. The goal of these interventions is to preserve the remaining vision and improve the overall quality of life. While it is easy to think that this is the responsibility of eye care specialists, many of these patients will see long-term benefits from a multifaceted approach to caring for their low vision. For children, the team supporting their vision is not limited to healthcare specialists.

While pediatricians, ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, social workers, and rehabilitation specialists can be involved in specialty teams targeted at intervention, other individuals in a child’s life, such as teachers and parents, maybe the first to notice a child has visual issues. Once a child has been identified, and intervention has started, these same individuals can continue to monitor the progress and continue to evaluate social interactions and academic performance. Additionally, in children with neurological disabilities, addressing a visual component as part of their interprofessional care team can have developmental and emotional benefits.