Becoming an Optometrist and opening a private practice ?

A long as people need glasses, they will need an Optometrist. In your example, you cited that people can go to a CVS and get reading glasses. However those reading glasses are made with the mentality that one size fits all. However that is not the case, the distance between the two pupils will vary from person person and for some they will suffer headaches or eyestrain from CVS reading glasses. And of course reading glasses are only appropriate for a certain age bracket.

As for the case of people preferring Ophthalmologist because they are able to perform surgeries. However they are the more expensive of the two and if you have health insurance, if you see an Ophthalmologist for eyeglasses and not specifically for surgeries, they will not pay out. So it would be out of pocket for you. Also if you had a cold and all you needed was antibiotics would you see an surgeon for that?

Optometry is more than prescribing eyeglasses. Optometrist are primary physicians. They access the health of the eye and if something comes up that requires surgery, the Ophthalmologist will step in and in some states, Optometrists can perform surgeries as well. Remember the eyes only job is to send visual signals to the brain there are no pain receptors inside the eye. So if something were to happen, you will not feel pain and might not notice any vision loss until its too late to fix it. Getting an yearly eye exam is just as important as getting an yearly physical. Whether or not you wear glasses.

If you want to pursue Optometry because you have an interest in it, then please continue to strive for that goal. However if you are interested because you believe that it will give you a big fat paycheck please consider another avenue.

And in regards to the post on Optometry is dead. In all likelihood, the individual was expecting an big fat paycheck after graduating from OD school which he didn't receive. Hence his statement. As an physician, I would think that the primary goal is to help other people maintain their vision. If you are in the medical field because of the money, you will be disappointed no matter which field you are in. There will always be someone making more money than you.

Are you complicated DO and OD?? I feel you can be, that's making your query all that extra complicated...O.D.'s and D.O.'s are wholly specific... DO is Doctor of Osteopathic medication OD Doctor of Optometry I'm now not certain precisely what you're asking... Are you asking what questions could be great if anybody is interviewing an Optometrist (O.D.) whilst the interviewer is all for fitting an Optometrist themselves???

The answer is in my cuntry the unly way to became doctor is to learn abiut antomy and psioology and learn to ampuntate limb etc. So do that :}

read the blog on studentdoctor.net on optometry...called..OPTOMETRY IS DEAD...

it has ODs saying that the field is dead. Not sure how true it is but the posts speak for themselves....