Member 434184

I don't doubt that many of the dissenters here are genuinely dissatisfied with the profession and with their personal experiences in optometry. But, you must also consider that by nature a forum such as this will attract those who are unhappy more than it will attract those who are satisfied. I know several optometrists (several of whom are young and working at a place like Wal*Mart) who seem to be very pleased with the profession, with both the line of work and their financial gains. They are not posting on forums about their jobs. When I am unhappy with a product, I am much more likely to contact the manufacturer than if I am happy with the product. Most people are this way, and I think that something similar is going on with this forum.

From what I can tell, there also seems to be a relatively small number of posters on this forum, so that will also come into play. My advice is to talk with some people face-to-face. Go to Wal*Mart and Lenscrafters and ask the doctors about their experiences. They won't have any good reason to lie. When I did shadowing, I had doctors give me the good and the bad about the profession. I always thought that everyone was very honest, and despite some of their gripes (like the headaches that billing insurance companies can cause), I still decided to go into optometry. Who knows? I might be back here in four years talking about how I chose the wrong path, but I honestly think that I'll be out working and enjoying life. I tend to have a positive personality, and I think that will help you in any profession.

Different careers are for different people. One of my best friends really likes his job as a pharmacist, while my cousin does not seem to be too thrilled with the career. Don't let an Internet forum decide your life.

I'm sure this post will be quoted and criticized, and you're welcome to do so.