Benefits in Optometry School

[optodr]

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I am (hopefully) starting optometry school next fall and I was wondering if there were any sort of benefits you recieve while in school, like discounted lasik or any specialist surgery. I have heard students can get free lasik, but Im not sure I believe that (or trust it 😕). The reason I ask is because I am very myopic (-10.00/-9.00) and also just recently found out I have retinal degeneration in my right eye. (Good thing i'm taking braille! j/k)

 

[afasano]

I am (hopefully) starting optometry school next fall and I was wondering if there were any sort of benefits you recieve while in school, like discounted lasik or any specialist surgery. I have heard students can get free lasik, but Im not sure I believe that (or trust it 😕). The reason I ask is because I am very myopic (-10.00/-9.00) and also just recently found out I have retinal degeneration in my right eye. (Good thing i'm taking braille! j/k)

ICO gives you four years of contacts for free...when you let one of the upper-classmen fit your eyes for contacts!! I think this is a perk!

 

[SarahNC]

The contacts is the only perk I have heard of so far. Free year supply every year from each company (vist, cooper, ciba, b&l), so 4 year supplies each year. Thats enough contacts for me, mom, sister, husband 🙂 They make good christmas presents!

 

[drbizzaro]

The contacts is the only perk I have heard of so far. Free year supply every year from each company (vist, cooper, ciba, b&l), so 4 year supplies each year. Thats enough contacts for me, mom, sister, husband 🙂 They make good christmas presents!

Most schools only let you have a 1 year supply of contacts regardless of the company that produces them.

 

[SarahNC]

Yup, we get 4! 🙂

 

[stonegoat]

The greatest benefit of optometry school was being constantly surrounded by beautiful girls (yes....my school had more female than male students). Alas....I grow old.....😉

 

[JMU07]

We get a certain amount of free contact per year (depends on brand) and a nice discount on glasses. I've also heard we get discounted dental care if we go see the dental students at UT but I don't know if that's true. Don't know that there are any schools that help you out with refractive surgery.

 

[4Eyes]

I don't know about the refractive surgery, but you could probably get free ortho-k. I had the opportunity to do it, but decided against it. We could get a year supply of contact lenses free each year...from any company EXCEPT Vistakon.

EDIT: Nevermind about the ortho-k...as the next poster pointed out, I am incapable of reading...at least at 1:30 in the morning. 😛

 

[JMU07]

I don't know about the refractive surgery, but you could probably get free ortho-k. I had the opportunity to do it, but decided against it. We could get a year supply of contact lenses free each year...from any company EXCEPT Vistakon.

Oh, true. I'm doing ortho-k right now and it is awesome, and awesomely free. 🙂 But it won't correct a high myope.

 

[4Eyes]

d'oh, skipped right past the high myope part, lo siento