Optometrists are the health care specialists that are proficient in examining the problems and defects that are related to the vision of the eyes. They treat and correct the vision-related illness, eye injuries, abnormalities in eyes, general eye health, and diseases related to the eyes. It has emerged as a popular career option. But to become an optometrist, you need to have a certain degree and license to operate. If you have taken up a degree in this field, you have the liberty to work independently or get associated with a hospital. Besides, there are other options that you can explore after completing the optometrist course.
Different Types of Independent Optometrist
Community Optometrists
Many large organizations hire independent optometrist to work for the local community in their area. They are part of a large team, but they carry out their tests independently. Some community optometrists also open up their franchise, or they open their independent clinics.
Hospital Optometrists
Big hospitals and medical centers have all the facilities in-house. They have separate departments for eye tests and you have the opportunity to start your profession. Hospital optometrists are the ones who work with one or more hospitals and sit in the separate rooms provided to them. Hospitals pay them salaries, and all the treatment facilities are also provided by the hospitals only.
Researcher
Medical sciences are developing continuously to develop new and better medicines and treatments in all the fields of medical sciences. There are many research centers which work in conducting new researches in the field of optometry; researchers are recruited in such research centers or hospital to discover new medicines and technologies to treat the eye conditions.
Domiciliary Optometrist
These are the eye doctors who visit patients at their homes in case they can’t reach the clinics due to any physical or other limitations. There is a rising demand for such professionals, hence, its a great job opportunity for an upcoming optometrist.
Roles and Responsibilities Of An Independent Optometrist
Talk to patients and understand their medical history to find out the problems
You will have to carry out eye examinations to find out vision defects.
You will have to treat the patient if he has come with an eye injury.
Diagnose eye diseases and abnormalities and give the right treatment to cure the same.
Conduct, manage and monitor the eye examinations to diagnose the actual problems.
Suggest medication and eye treatment
To check the general eye health and conditions of the patients.
To find out about the general health conditions such as diabetes that can affect eyes.
To give them the right lenses or specs so that the patients can see correctly.
Offer the right advice so that the patient can make the right decision.
If the case is not related to your area of specialization, then refer the patients to the right doctor.
Conducting eye operations for problems like cataracts.
Post-eye-treatment therapy for easy recovery
Optometry id one of the most demanding professionals, and career breaks are possible, but it requires continuing education and training. To work as an optometrist in any country, you will have to get yourself registered with the regulatory body of that particular country.
Wrapping It Up - Optometrist is a good field to make a career and if you are willing to start a career in this, then you must pursue it from the right college. It is important that you must have all the latest equipment and information in eye treatment such that you are able to establish yourself as a professional independent optometrist.