Courses, eligibility criteria and prospects for an Optometrist

Courses, eligibility criteria and prospects for an Optometrist

I aspire to become an Optometrist and want to begin early for a better insight into the courses that I should pursue. Please tell me about the courses for this career, their eligibility criteria and the scope of this career.

Optometry can be a very rewarding career if done with the right zest and from a re cognized university. You will have to undertake a four years complete bachelor's program - Bachelor of Clinical Optometry - B. Optom, in optometry from a reputed and recognized university or institute. To apply for a course in optometry, you have to to clear the higher secondary examination with a combination of physics, chemistry and biology or mathematics, with an aggregate of above 50 per cent. The reputed colleges mostly conduct admission tests, followed by group discussions and interviews to confirm the list of candidates selected for admission into the course. You can opt for a master’s degree in optometry at the completion of the bachelor’s degree. Some colleges also offer a masters degree in optometry along with MPhil and PhD options. A few institutes have shaped their courses to endow students with an offer as interns at eye care clinics.

Optometry can prove to be a very rewarding career and its scope is good in both private and government sector. You also have the option to be self employed if you possess the right qualification and practice. It is a vibrant career option that brings along personal development, respect from people, financial accomplishment, and unrestricted opportunities. As a practitioner you can find unlimited job openings in India and abroad. New chains of hospitals are always looking for various specialists including optometrist. Surveys show that India needs at least 5,000 trained optometrists every year in rural, suburban and urban areas. But there are only about 1,200 graduates passing out of optometry institutes annually, hence there is a severe shortage of trained professionals and good job prospects for upcoming experts.