Would You recommend Optometry (to me)?

[biggs]

Hey, ive seen a lot of talk here on how optometry is a dying and how soon optometrists will be forced to be underpaid and all work out of walmarts. I am a rising college Sophomore, majoring in anthropology, who is split between several career options, one of which is optometry(the others are law, and becoming a university professor). of these, opotometry seems like it would be the most interesting work. I'm not concerned with prestige, or being consider a "fake doctor" i just want a job that is enjoyable and rewarding. Money isnt everything, but it'd be nice to be able to make 6 figures. However, i dont want to go into a field that is going field that is decaying and has a bleak future especially since id have much more freedom with my undergrad course section if i pursued the other two fields.

im just looking for a number of different opinions from current optometrists on if theyd recommend the field in general. If theyd recommend the field for me personally. And what they think the field of optometry will look like 20-30 years from now. Will wages be significantly lower? will optometrists lose a lot of business to oMD's? etc. Thanks in advance

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[achirum]

Obligatory use the "Search" function on the forum. This question has been asked to death.

 

[owlcityeyes11]

Isn't the purpose of this forum to answer beginning pre-optometry students' questions, even if it is common knowledge to experienced students? Sometimes it's hard to find the exact information you want using the search function.

 

[achirum]

Isn't the purpose of this forum to answer beginning pre-optometry students' questions, even if it is common knowledge to experienced students? Sometimes it's hard to find the exact information you want using the search function.

Yes, certainly, but all the question asked above have been asked many times. And honestly, the best information you are going to get is by looking back in those threads. Chances are, not many people are going to respond to new threads like this because they have responded to the same questions so many times before.

 

[ICOOD]

Hey, ive seen a lot of talk here on how optometry is a dying and how soon optometrists will be forced to be underpaid and all work out of walmarts. I am a rising college Sophomore, majoring in anthropology, who is split between several career options, one of which is optometry(the others are law, and becoming a university professor). of these, opotometry seems like it would be the most interesting work. I'm not concerned with prestige, or being consider a "fake doctor" i just want a job that is enjoyable and rewarding. Money isnt everything, but it'd be nice to be able to make 6 figures. However, i dont want to go into a field that is going field that is decaying and has a bleak future especially since id have much more freedom with my undergrad course section if i pursued the other two fields.

im just looking for a number of different opinions from current optometrists on if theyd recommend the field in general. If theyd recommend the field for me personally. And what they think the field of optometry will look like 20-30 years from now. Will wages be significantly lower? will optometrists lose a lot of business to oMD's? etc. Thanks in advance

Money should be everything, if not why are you not a greeter at Walmart?
Law will give you more opportunities than being an OD. As an OD, there is less and less controll over how much one can make.

 

[20DOC20]

If you're going into optometry to make six figures, try a different profession. A lot of the profit in optometry is from the extraordinary markup on lenses and frames. I imagine that Obamacare is going to axe that. That leaves money for services and quite frankly, I sometimes get paid 35 dollars for a comprehensive exam and 54 for a toric contact lens exam (which includes the glasses exam).

I've never, ever made six figures. I barely make half that and I've been in practice 14 years.

My advice is: do something you're passionate about and something that gives you a sense of joy and fulfillment. If that something is Anthropology, then seek a career in that field.

My best wishes.

 

[EyEnStein 07]

I've never, ever made six figures. I barely make half that and I've been in practice 14 years.

14 years...and you are around the 50k mark? Would you mind sharing what state you practice? or atleast what region? Also what type of setting you are in (ie private practice, commercial, corporate etc..)?

Seems a bit too low for me, especially with the amount of years you have been working, so i am just curious to know.

 

[UNMorBUST]

14 years...and you are around the 50k mark? Would you mind sharing what state you practice? or atleast what region? Also what type of setting you are in (ie private practice, commercial, corporate etc..)?

Seems a bit too low for me, especially with the amount of years you have been working, so i am just curious to know.

Yea seems a little fishy to me. There has to be other cirrcumstances if this is true.

 

[Laurac]

Yea seems a little fishy to me. There has to be other cirrcumstances if this is true.

No. He is probably on the level. 25 years ago I charged about $80 for a comprehensive exam. $200 for a Toric lens fit. I knew a popular, busy practice that charged $200 for a spherical soft lens fit. But the real money was made on the optical end, so you could expect to be paid far more per hour than what you actually charged for chair time. Those days are gone.

 

[Snakedoctor1]

Hey, ive seen a lot of talk here on how optometry is a dying and how soon optometrists will be forced to be underpaid and all work out of walmarts. I am a rising college Sophomore, majoring in anthropology, who is split between several career options, one of which is optometry(the others are law, and becoming a university professor). of these, opotometry seems like it would be the most interesting work. I'm not concerned with prestige, or being consider a "fake doctor" i just want a job that is enjoyable and rewarding. Money isnt everything, but it'd be nice to be able to make 6 figures. However, i dont want to go into a field that is going field that is decaying and has a bleak future especially since id have much more freedom with my undergrad course section if i pursued the other two fields.

im just looking for a number of different opinions from current optometrists on if theyd recommend the field in general. If theyd recommend the field for me personally. And what they think the field of optometry will look like 20-30 years from now. Will wages be significantly lower? will optometrists lose a lot of business to oMD's? etc. Thanks in advance

I'm just a lowly Optometry student, but I personally would only recommend Optometry if you have a wonderful job lined up, or someone is paying your tuition.