Behavioral Optometrist

[davey22]

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Are Behavioral Optometrist in high demand? (I did not see any positons open under the job search)

The schooling to become a Behavioral Optometrist, is it offered at most optometry schools?

If I pursue this speciality in optometry will the chances of providing "basic eye care "diminish? i.e, I would not have to find work at Lens Crafters?

I myself have a form of strabismus and my entire life a career in the medical field is all that I have been able to see myself pursuing. However, due to my double vision and poor depth perception, I don't believe that I could make it through the surgical aspect of Medical School. This has brought me to research Optometry and if I should take this route. Any advice or experience with successful OD's or MD's with my problem?

 

[a1bui]

From my understanding (I'm just a pre-opt student), behavioral optometrists are pretty much vision therapists. Vision therapists are generally optometrists that specialize in behavioral optometry after they graduate optometry school. Most schools don't specifically teach behavioral optometry so that you can start practicing it. I think some schools have some vision therapy classes, but not to the extent that you're thinking.

To become a vision therapist, you can do a residency to start off with. Then apply to become a fellow of the college of vision development. I think after some training/learning, and evaluations, you get the title "FCVOD" to certify that you're a specialist in vision development (though you don't really need it to do vision therapy).

I believe there are also vision therapists who aren't optometrists at all. They just get certified as vision therapists after doing some schooling.

There's only a select few of vision therapists that primarily deal with only vision therapy (thankfully, I volunteer for one of those few 🙂 ) I think most vision therapists/behavioral therapists open up a primary care office, and do the behavioral therapy as a subspecialty, an "on the side" type deal . SO, in answer to your question; you don't have to work at Lenscrafters. Keep in mind though, the primary care tests that Lenscrafters does will be the same tests private optometrists do, so in that aspect, the techniques won't diminish. In fact, if you want to become a behavioral optometrist, you have to do those procedures, and then some.

To answer your question of demand...I don't think they are in demand. You can find lots of optometrists that have vision therapy as their subspecialty. There's no job listing for "behavioral optometrist" because behaviorial optometrists open their own private office. Not many companies will hire an optometrist for just behavioral therapy since most insurance companies don't cover vision therapy anyway.

In your case, if it's just your eye problems that's holding you back, you can do different things within medicine, not just surgery. Become a pediatrician, or something, since vision therapists generally work with kids anyway. I don't know any OD's or MD's with your problem though...sorry. I'm pretty sure that's nothing to hold you back. In fact, it might even help you to get in 🙂 .

Hope that helps (if what I put is correct).

 

[r_salis]

Moving thread to Optometry forum...

 

[Turosk]

Hmmmm... tahts a hard one, optometry involves a lot of microscope work.

Some of the instruments do involve both eyes, and depth perception, but the good old direct ophthalmoscope only need the one eye to use.

Im not sure about the legal requirements but i recon an optometrists could manage with one eye.

But your condition does make it harder for ocular examination and diagnosis... but i mean... im red-green color blind and they are still letting me do the course, and my condition might also effect my examinations.