Optometrist

Job overview
Optometrists deal with human vision and aim to help patients to see clearly and accurately.

They measure the efficiency of their patients' eyes and take steps to improve vision or prevent its deterioration.

They may also give advice on environmental factors that affect visual efficiency.

What do people do in this job?
Optometrists are able to prescribe spectacles or contact lenses to rectify or alleviate visual defects such as farsightedness, short-sightedness, astigmatism (image distortion) and presbyopia (farsightedness as the result of age).

They evaluate the specific needs, including work and hobbies, of their patients in order to prescribe the most suitable correction.

Specialised knowledge and techniques are used to:

• Improve defective co-ordination of eye movements with eye exercises.
• Alleviate low vision with special magnifying glasses.
• Examine the pressure in the eye, visual fields and colour deficiency.
• Improve the safety of workers (industrial vision).
• Develop and enhance skills necessary in visual activities.

Optometrists also promote eye hygiene, give advice to both patients and the general public and are also consulted by industry on aspects such as correct reading habits, lighting and general eye safety.

This area, known as preventive or environmental optometry, forms an important part of their work.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
A genuine interest in people is important since optometrists work in close contact with them.

An interest in physical science, mathematics, physiology and psychology is also very important.

In addition manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination are necessary for working with the specialised equipment.

What qualifications are needed?
Good school-leaving results in science and mathematics, preferably strengthened by tertiary studies in those subjects plus physiology and psychology.