Career Salary Information : How Much Money Does an Optometrist Make?

[cacimx28]

you guys know of any Universities in New York or Florida that have a pre- optometry program? uhh i need help thanks

[crazy4corbinbleux]

WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST?

[MissSovietBones]

@crazy4corbinbleux Ophthalmologists preform eye surgery :)

[letdgoodtimzroll]

@crazy4corbinbleux An ophthalmologist needs to go to medical school in order to perform surgery on the eye (such as Lasik) and not only needs to know all that an optometrist knows but is able to prescribe and treat the medical aspect to. The person as an MD at the end of his/her name. An optometrist goes straight to optometry school after their Bachelor's and not med. school. They are responsible for diagnosis the health of your eye: myopia, color blindness, vision loss, cataracts etc..

[letdgoodtimzroll]

@crazy4corbinbleux But an opt cannot do surgery on the eyes.

[bomberfun1]

an optometrist is just a technician.

[kaymizzai]

dang. that's a lot of school :/

[sarahXskater]

@kaymizzai It's worth it though.

[6UNLEASHED]

This isnt true at all. Of the Optometry schools in the US, the majority of them DONT require a BA! however, prereqs need to be taken in order to even apply, assuming that the amount of prereqs would equal a BA.

I just graduated as an Optician in May and enjoy the field so much I am considering applying to Optometry school. My biggest concern, is loans. If anybody could voice an opinion, I would be more then happy to consider it. Either work as an Optician with no loans, or go the extra mile?

[StayAwayFromAnOD]

@6UNLEASHED: in response to your request, DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT DONT GET AN OD! Watch this video for the reasons why.....

youtube.com/watch?v=bk2YpECr9X­I

[bomberfun1]

What's the whole point of arguing how much an optometrist makes. They make enough money to live comfortably.  Stop talking and start doing something.

[6UNLEASHED]

@bomberfun1 The problem is people like you that believe they make the big bucks when they leave school, truth is, it takes years before OD's see any positive income. Then factor in owing 6 digits back for loans plus interest.

[LethalBanjo]

I want to be an optometrist but i am hopeless at science, this bad?

[prasad604]

omg so much lol

[hash1212]

an OD is different from a MD

[6UNLEASHED]

@hash1212 Yes, an OD is given to Opticians and Optometrists, Ophthalmologists get the MD (mainly due to surgery which nobody else can perform on the eye)

[kwank24]

@6UNLEASHED

Only optometrists get the OD. Opticians have their own specific program or simply on-the-job training to receive their certification. Optometrists usually need to spend at least six years in college, with majority completing four years of an undergrad, and another four years for their optometry degree.

[6UNLEASHED]

@kwank24 Im an Optician and its recognized as an OD as well, all my mail, school code and so forth says my name and OD after it...OD stands for Ophthalmic Dispenser and thats what I am. Optometrists get the same OD as we do.

[bomberfun1]

Doctor of Optometry is not a Medical Doctor.

[kshall123]

@bomberfun1 An optometrist is doctor of optometry. ITs a doctorate

[SBha30]

Be prepared to make very little money and work Saturdays and even Sundays. $100k???? Only the old well established practice owners are making decent money and they are dying off. Become prepared to be a slave to the chains (including Walmart). It has become very commercialized and has become saturated. Go for the Gold and become an MD. Much better compensation, work hours and prestige. Consider a school in Latin America if you can't get into a US school. Good luck.

[WarrenAch]

Saturated?Avoid Cali/Utah and florida and you'll be fine finding a good job...

Optos usually make 70k/year as starting salaries with 95% chances of finding a decent job.

After 5 years of practice,they usually get 80-90k/year.

10 years + make above 100k.

Practice owners tend to make more at beggining/end salaries.

Going into O.D. or M.D. for the money/prestige/compensation = epic fail.You'll live with a loser feeling the rest of your life,you better enter something YOU REALLY LIKE.

[idoc09]

@WarrenAch I was offered $103k my first year out of optometry school.

[jazzy12349]

@idoc09 what school do you do to?

[idoc09]

@jazzy12349 I attended the Southern California College of Optometry (located in Orange County, CA).

[idoc09]

@SBha30 I was offered $103 directly out of optometry school. I work 5 days a week (41 hours). My MD friends, make less per hours than I do (working 60 hrs per week on average). In my opinion, optometry is the gold!...though I'm hesitant to even say that in fear of more people choosing optometry as a career, and impacting the market!

[DIPSETGIRL88]

im really bad at math 2 but i can always get a tutor... it is a lot of years of schoolo but once i get that 100 grand a year or more its soooo gonna be worth it lol

[VeggieBuckleberry]

Being an optometrist would be an awesome job, but I'm just not willing to dedicate 8 years of my life (and money) to school. I'd rather look into something like optician, optometrist assistant, or dental hygienist. A lot less schooling!

[WarrenAch]

opticians are optometrists...seriously,even assistants need to study to be able to practice with doctors...

[ezcape08]

I'd like to be an Optometrist but im very bad at math, now math is stoping me

[WarrenAch]

well,seriously,they will look more for sciences and physics,maths are not "totally demanded" in optometry,try to get decent grades,70-75% in it...then 85-95% in sciences,physics and all health science related courses.

[LaQueenshaDay]

i checked the requirements for optometry all you need is calculus (if ur good at math then calc is alright) and statistics (which is not hard) that's it!!! That's not alot of math and oh ya u need physics too (which is a killer). Once you finish these courses in the first two years of uni all you have left are the science courses....sigh

[idoc09]

@LaQueenshaDay There is a lot of math in optometry school too!

[6UNLEASHED]

@LaQueenshaDay aside from Math, lets not forget MicroBiology lol that might be the deal breaker on alot of people

[otissumnerbrown]

Dear Shary,

Correctoin: An optometrist IS NOT a medical doctor.

Best,

Otis

[biggun3950]

i thought they made lik 100thousand to 500 thousand

depthing on ur exp

[lseateal]

she doesnt no anything

[paige1073]

I want to be a optometrist but I dont really like math. :(

Is that a problem??

[cherrybopbop]

yeah it kinda is! but dont let ANYTHING put you off. i was useless at math but i re-sat the subject in my spare time at an adult education centre. i am confident now! they were great help. go for it and never look back!!!!

[ElianaRaq]

@paige1073 I don´t think so. I´m an optometry student from University of Minho, Portugal, and I'm not very good at math, but with hard work and dedication you can do! ;)

[SVJXZ890]

@paige1073 You will encounter alot of problems like I do....

Optics is not a child's game.... :-(

[kaiwalui]

Optometrists (O.D.) are doctors holding a four-year doctorate degree in optometry. Optometrists also diagnose and treat eye-related conditions and prescribe systemic and topical medications to patients. Therefore, optometrists can correctly be described as "medical doctors" but not Doctors of Medicine (M.D.)

[brpworld]

no they're not, an OPHTHALMOLOGIST is the medical doctor. An Optometrist is just a Doctor of Optometry ( in the U.S.)

[cherrybopbop]

completely correct! an ophthalmologist is someone who has done med school and has chosen to specialise in ophthalmology and can perform operations. an optom is someone who would prescribe glasses and refer to an ophthalmologist for further diagnosis and possible surgery.

[idoc09]

@cherrybopbop Not entirely true.  As an optometrist, I do several procedures in office. I only refer to ophthalmology for certain surgical procedures (cataract extraction, and LASIK primarily). I also treat eye disease on a daily basis, prescribing med several times per day.

[faithfuldissenter]

Doctors of optometry, optometric physicians (ODs) are the primary health care professionals for the eye. Optometrists examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, injuries, and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures as well as identify related systemic conditions affecting the eye.

[tito8512]

optometrists are not medical doctors.Just wanted to correct this lady talking...

[jonnyhume7]

yes they are

[alec850]

No they aren't, optometrists are doctors but the medical doctor is an opthalmologist.