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Optometrists

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $136,570 Median per year · $65.66/hr Most earn $74,870–$202,180

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
  • Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
  • Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
  • Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
  • Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
  • Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
10% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 2,000 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Offices of optometrists60.7%
  • Offices of physicians13.7%
  • Self-employed (their own business)5.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

Optometry is not an entry-level job. Most people finish a bachelor's degree and then a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) program before they can practice, so the full path usually takes about 8 years after high school.

  1. Bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, or another science

    4 years

    You build the science background (biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy) that optometry programs expect, and you keep your grades strong because they matter for admission.

  2. Doctor of Optometry (OD) program

    4 years

    You study eye anatomy, vision science, eye diseases, and prescribing, and you get hands-on clinical training examining patients under supervision.

  3. Optometrist

    Ongoing

    After passing your licensing exams and getting a state license, you examine eyes, prescribe glasses and contact lenses, and diagnose and treat eye conditions.

Where it can lead

  1. Ophthalmologist

    4 to 6 years of experience first

    An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who can perform eye surgery and treat more serious eye diseases; moving here means going to medical school and residency instead of optometry school.

  2. Practice Owner or Clinic Director

    Several years in practice of experience first

    Many optometrists move into running their own eye care practice or managing a larger clinic, which adds business, staffing, and leadership responsibilities to the clinical work.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and physicsThese classes build the science foundation you will need for a bachelor's degree and a doctoral program later.
  • Get a job at an optical shop or eye care officeWorking as a receptionist, optical assistant, or frame stylist at a local eye care office shows you how eye care works from the inside.
  • Volunteer at a clinic or hospitalVolunteering in a health setting helps you learn how to work with patients and shows whether you enjoy patient care.
  • Join a science or health clubClubs like science club or HOSA (Future Health Professionals) let you learn more about health careers and meet people with similar interests.
  • Enter science fairs or STEM competitionsProjects in biology or vision can show your curiosity and give you something to talk about in college applications.

In college

  • Major in a science like biology, biochemistry, or vision scienceOptometry programs expect a strong science background, and many students choose one of these majors to prepare.
  • Work as a clinic or optical assistantA campus or local job in an eye care office gives you hands-on experience and helps you show experience to optometry programs.
  • Shadow an optometristSpending time with a working optometrist helps you understand the job and gives you a reference and stories for applications.
  • Join a pre-health or optometry clubPre-health student groups often offer talks, workshops, and networking with people who have already gone through this path.
  • Keep your grades strong and build relationships with professorsStrong grades and recommendation letters from science professors are important parts of applying to a doctoral program.

Tips for getting started

  • Get real experience around eye care early, such as volunteering or working at an optical shop or eye clinic, so you can see if the daily work fits you.
  • Take the math, chemistry, and biology classes that are offered at your school and do well in them, since optometry programs look closely at science grades.
  • Talk to a working optometrist and ask about their day, their training, and what they like and dislike about the job.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

  • Optometry Professional degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $108,504 a year · typical debt $179,169

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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