Applicants for a license must have a Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited optometry school and pass both a written and a clinical State board examination. Although many optometrists practice alone, a growing number are in a partnership or group practice. Because optometrists generally remain in practice until they retire, the number of job openings arising from the need to replace optometrists who leave the occupation is low. Nature of the Work Over half the people in the United States wear glasses or contact lenses.
Optometrists examine people's eyes to diagnose vision problems and eye diseases.
They use instruments and observation to examine eye health and to test patients' visual acuity, depth and color perception, and their ability to focus and coordinate the eyes. They analyze test results and develop a treatment plan. Optometrists prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, and provide vision therapy and low vision rehabilitation. They use drugs for diagnosis of eye vision problems and prescribe drugs to treat some eye diseases. They also diagnose conditions due to systemic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and refer patients to other health practitioners as needed.