Optometrists test to determine the patient's ability to focus and coordinate the eyes and to judge depth and see colors accurately.
Optometrists prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, low vision aids, and vision therapy.
Optometrists prescribe medications to treat eye diseases, including oral and topical pharmaceutical agents that relieve pain, reduce swelling, and treat infections. As primary eye care providers, optometrists are an integral part of the patient's health care team and serve as an entry point into the health care system for many people. They are skilled in the co-management of care that affects eye health and vision and serve as an excellent source of referral to other health care providers. A Doctor of Optometry must complete four years of specialized, post-college graduate education and training at an accredited College of Optometry and must pass a standardized licensing examination approved by the State of Nebraska. Students receive a thorough understanding of the human health system and its inter-relationships with the eyes, including the systemic interactions and implications of pharmaceutical agents used in the practice of optometry.