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Nowadays, working professionals and students spend a lot of time with their eyes glued to their smartphones and laptop screens. Users aged between 16 and 64 worldwide spend approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes each day in front of screens of different devices (Source). As a result, a lot of people, including children, are suffering from vision-related problems.
This calls for a rise in demand for optometrists. Optometrists are professionals who treat eye conditions and vision issues. They perform routine tests to identify changes in the patient’s visual health. If you want to enter the healthcare sector without becoming a doctor or a nurse, you can take optometry as a course and become an optometrist.
Let us discuss some of the reasons why optometry is a promising career. But before we move to that, let us see what an optometrist does. We will also see what educational qualifications are required to become an optometrist.
What does an optometrist do?
The duties of an optometrist include:
- Diagnosing eye conditions and treating them.
- Creating medical plans for patients and helping them improve their eyesight.
- Conducting routine eye tests for patients and identifying any changes, both positive and negative.
- Educating patients on visual hygiene and taking care of their contact lenses and spectacles.
Optometry: Top benefits to consider
While choosing a career, it is important to assess how it will benefit you in the long run. If you’ve wondered, “Why is optometry a good career?” here’s your answer. Let us have a look at the top 5 benefits optometrists enjoy:
1. Opportunity to serve people
When you graduate from high school, you will be motivated to do something for the welfare of the people. Pursuing a career in optometry offers you the opportunity to serve the people. The fact that you have been able to help someone see the world better will give you a sense of satisfaction.
Therefore, if you want to help your community with great visual health, this will be a fulfilling career for you.
2. Great work-life balance
Although optometrists serve and communicate with many people every day, it is easy to maintain a good work-life balance. An optometrist works 37-40 hours a week, but they also have the flexibility to choose shifts according to their convenience.
This makes it easy for them to pursue activities beyond their jobs, even if that means spending quality time with family.
A great optometry future scope is that after an optometrist has gathered enough experience, the professional may also choose to practice on their own, of their own free will.
3. Safer work environment compared to other healthcare professionals
We know healthcare professionals who have to spend much time working amid harmful emissions, substances, or fluids. Doctors and other healthcare professionals are also the forefront warriors during the outbreak of pandemics or any other emergency.
This is usually not the case with optometrists. They are exposed to fewer hazards than other health-related careers and can practice in safe environments.
4. Diversity
You will be pleased to know that the optometry scope in India is diverse. Optometrists can work in private clinics, government hospitals, or retail stores.
The optometry scope when pursuing an optometry course also depends on what the students specialize in.
One might choose to specialize in pediatric optometry, which treats the vision needs of children, or geriatric optometry, which treats the eye health of older adults.
Someone might also specialize in neurooptometry, which deals with visual problems arising from disorders, brain injuries, or other neurological complications. Sports vision optometry is a specialization in which optometrists help athletes improve their vision and perform well in their games.
Therefore, optometry courses offer many diverse options based on one’s interests, skills, and the age group of patients the person wants to treat.
5. Competitive salary
As an optometrist, you will earn a decent salary. The average annual salary is INR 3.36,889 LPA. However, this depends on multiple factors, such as a professional’s educational qualification, experience, job location, etc.
We hope this gives you a clear idea about the optometry top benefits.
Qualifications to become an optometrist
If you want to pursue optometry as a career after graduating high school, have a look at the academic path you must take to be eligible.
- After high school, you must pursue a Bachelor's in Optometry. To enroll in this program, candidates should have cleared grade 12 boards or an equivalent examination with science subjects—physics, chemistry, and biology.
This is ideally a 3-year course with a one-year internship opportunity.
- Once you have completed optometry as a course, you must appear for the Optometry Admission Test. This exam assesses a candidate’s academic ability and their command of scientific information.
- After you have cleared the OAT, you must enroll in a four-year Doctor of Optometry degree program. Here, you will learn various advanced optometry topics and gain practical experience.
- As the final step, you must secure a license issued by the Optometry Council of India.
Other skills needed to become an optometrist
An optometry course will enlighten you with the knowledge, but you must have or develop some soft skills to become a good optometrist.
They are as follows:
- Good interpersonal and communication skills: You will be dealing with people most of the time. So, you must have good communication and interpersonal skills. You should be able to deal with people from different backgrounds.
- Attention to detail: An optometrist should be able to identify even the slightest details or variations in diagnosis and test results. Ignoring any of the details may impact the patient’s health.
Conclusion
If you are wondering, “Is optometry a good career in India,” we hope this blog provides you with all the information. In addition to the promising optometry scope in India, the global optometry market is also showing significant growth (Source). As the demand for skilled optometrists continues, it is evident that an optometry course will reap great benefits.
Lay the stepping stone of your career as an optometrist with ITM's Bachelor of Optometry course. Enroll today!
FAQs
1. Why should you choose a career in optometry?
Optometrist jobs are highly demanded. They offer individuals the opportunity to work in close association with people and earn the respect of communities. The optometry future scope in India is also quite bright concerning dignity, job security, and salary.
2. Is optometry a good career option in India?
Optometry is a good career option in India because of its diversity and advantages, such as competitive salary packages and work-life balance.
3. What jobs are available after a BSc in Optometry?
After a BSc in Optometry, candidates can get several opportunities based on specialization. They may secure jobs as neurooptometrists, contact lens specialists, pediatric optometrists, etc.
4. Why are optometrists in demand in India?
In India, there is a rise in demand for optometrists due to a surging number of aging population and increasing vision problems resulting from increasing screen time of individuals. People are becoming more aware of their visual health, leading to a rise in demand for optometrists.
Dignified with Rankings
Amongst India's most promising Hotel Management Institute by Higher Education Review 2021
Ranked Top Hotel Management Institute awarded by Times Education Icon 2022
Quality Education, Outstanding Administration & Leading Infrastructure by Educational Excellence Awards & Conference 2021
