subject: Optometrists: What They Are And What They Do [print this page] Definition of an Optometrist Definition of an Optometrist
A licensed health care professional, optometrists are doctors that focus primarily on your eye. With a specialization that lies within the human eye structure, these doctors know about your eye health, your vision, your visual structures, and the way that your brain works with your eye.
Also Known as an Eye Doctor
Most people know optometrists as eye doctors. They are the doctors that you might have gone to if you've ever been suffering from visual problems or pain. If you wear glasses or contacts, then you've been to an optometrist - they're the ones in charge of determining if you needed them. As a doctor with a specialty in eyes, it is their responsibility to monitor and diagnose eye problems and make sure that they are treated correctly. They are also surgeons to an extent; there are times when they correct visual problems with an operation called laser surgery.
Getting an Optometrist Degree
Just like any medical degree, finishing optometry school is not an easy path to choose. You are dedicating at least six years of your life - and sometimes eight - to medical school with grueling exams and difficult classes. When you finish, you are still looking at two to four years of residency or internship. There is a reason that most eye doctors are in their thirties or forties when they get around to opening their own clinic! Schooling doesn't end with a degree though. If an optometrist wants to stay on the cutting edge of technology and medicine, then he will be constantly going back to school, attending state seminars, and conducting his own research. There are always new medical studies that are being announced, new FDA approved drugs, new surgeries, and other advances that a doctor must be aware of so that he can treat his patient to the fullest extent possible. If you're looking into a career of becoming an optometrist, you're looking at a long and fulfilling road. The standard optometrist makes around eighty thousand a year.
Make Regular Appointments With Your Optometrist
Don't settle for just seeing your regular doctor once a year. Most insurance plans will cover a check-up with your optometrist too; make use of it. While your regular health is important, your eye health is just as much so. Whether you notice any changes or not, sometimes your eyes can start to have health problems - diagnosing these as early as possible can prevent future injuries or blindness. You should also get your eye prescription checked every two years if you have glasses or contacts; as you get older, your eyesight will often evolve. If you are plagued by migraines, visual disturbances (auras or spots) or get sudden uncontrollable eye pain, don't wait. Make an appointment with your optometrist immediately. Protect those peepers!
