Occupation Details
Optometrists
Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$109,040.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$133,250.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$159,560.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
1,970
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
2,430
+46 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
112
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.2%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
More School - Graduate or advanced degree
Experience Requirements
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Training Details
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Optometrist
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- 8-well lens flippers
- Adult fixation targets
- Amsler grids
- Autorefractors
- Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopes
- Biomicroscopes
- Broken wheel visual acuity cards
- Child fixation targets
- Clear 78 diopter condensing lenses
- Color vision testing devices
- Combined cover paddle occluders
- Contact lens loupes
- Corneal pachymeters
- Corneal topographers
- Desktop computers
- Fixation cards
- Fundus cameras
- Golf club spuds
- Gonioscopy lenses
- HRR Hardy-Rand-Rittler plates
- Halberg clips
- Half nylon gripping pliers
- Horizontal prism bars
- Hruby lenses
- Ishihara plates
- Keratometers
- Lachrymal cannulae
- Lachrymal dilators
- Lea symbols near vision cards
- Lens calipers
Technology
- Insight Software My Vision Express
- Intuit QuickBooks
- MediNotes Charting Plus
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft Word
- Prima Systems OPTIX
- Scheduling software
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- communicate technical information
- make presentations on health or medical issues
- prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices or other forms of treatment
- conduct patient assessments
- order medical laboratory tests
- prepare patient reports
- identify body response variations
- understand properties or composition of drugs
- recognize childhood diseases
- interpret medical laboratory test results
- write technical health or medical documents
- analyze medical data
- measure for eyeglasses
- obtain information from clients, customers, or patients
- use clinical problem solving techniques
- use counseling techniques
- use emergency medical treatment procedures
- follow infectious materials procedures
- use interpersonal communication techniques
- use medical diagnostic techniques
- follow patient care procedures
- use research methodology procedures in health care
- use sanitation practices in health care settings
- use knowledge of medical terminology
- make decisions
- administer medications or treatments
- diagnose or treat conditions of the eye
- conduct medical tests
- treat medical condition of patient
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.
- Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.
- Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
- Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.
- Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors.
- Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
- Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
- Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
- Prescribe therapeutic procedures to correct or conserve vision.
- Provide vision therapy and low-vision rehabilitation.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Optometrists
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More