Optometrists' practice

[HOPEOPT]

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Do you have any idea if optometrists' career can be practiced outside the USA, such as Europe , Middle east ?.

 

[xmattODx]

I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if an US trained OD can practice outside of the US? If this is your question the answer is, "it depends".

It depends if you can emmigrate to said country.
It depends if Optometry is a recognized profession in said country.
It depends if those who regulate Optometry in said country recognize your degree.
It depends if you are able to pass the qualification exams that the regulators may or may not want you to take.

That said there are US trained optometrists practicing in different countries of the world.

 

[HOPEOPT]

I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if an US trained OD can practice outside of the US? If this is your question the answer is, "it depends".

It depends if you can emmigrate to said country.
It depends if Optometry is a recognized profession in said country.
It depends if those who regulate Optometry in said country recognize your degree.
It depends if you are able to pass the qualification exams that the regulators may or may not want you to take.

That said there are US trained optometrists practicing in different countries of the world.

In general I need to know if the profession of optomtery is recognized outside the USA

 

[xmattODx]

In general I need to know if the profession of optomtery is recognized outside the USA

Not in as many countries as you probably hope but its increasing. Give us an idea of what your goals are. Are you hoping to live and work elsewhere permanently or are you hoping to do short-term "mission" work?

 

[HOPEOPT]

Not in as many countries as you probably hope but its increasing. Give us an idea of what your goals are. Are you hoping to live and work elsewhere permanently or are you hoping to do short-term "mission" work?

Maybe in the future I will move to Jordan, I'd like to know if this country recognizes optometry profession I am afraid that I will be underemployed over there and not consider me an eye doctor because the eye doctors over there have an MD degree , there are optic offices that have optician, so where the place for the optomterists' practice,? I am really confused and do not know the answer, in spite of that, there is no comparasion betwen the education in the USA and in overseas, everybody over there admit that.

 

[xmattODx]

Maybe in the future I will move to Jordan, I'd like to know if this country recognizes optometry profession I am afraid that I will be underemployed over there and not consider me an eye doctor because the eye doctors over there have an MD degree , there are optic offices that have optician, so where the place for the optomterists' practice,? I am really confused and do not know the answer, in spite of that, there is no comparasion betwen the education in the USA and in overseas, everybody over there admit that.

I'm pretty sure they have an optometry school in Jordan. I spent a semester teaching optometry in Nablus, West Bank, Palestine. The school in Palestine started 4 years ago. Prior to that Palestinian "optometrists" were trained in Jordan.

There is a huge difference between the education of optometrists in North America as compared to most of the world. This difference is especially large as compared to the Middle East. Optometry there is 1) an undergraduate degree and 2) a refractive profession. No diagnostics let alone therapeutics. I think optometrists in Jordan do just about the same thing as refracting opticians. Hopefully that will change as the usefulness of well trained optometrists in discovered.

They are usually in need of educators at these schools though so that could be an option for you.

 

[HOPEOPT]

I'm pretty sure they have an optometry school in Jordan. I spent a semester teaching optometry in Nablus, West Bank, Palestine. The school in Palestine started 4 years ago. Prior to that Palestinian "optometrists" were trained in Jordan.

There is a huge difference between the education of optometrists in North America as compared to most of the world. This difference is especially large as compared to the Middle East. Optometry there is 1) an undergraduate degree and 2) a refractive profession. No diagnostics let alone therapeutics. I think optometrists in Jordan do just about the same thing as refracting opticians. Hopefully that will change as the usefulness of well trained optometrists in discovered.

They are usually in need of educators at these schools though so that could be an option for you.

What I understand from your post that if I go there I will not practice optometry as an eye doctor but as an optician.

 

[xmattODx]

What I understand from your post that if I go there I will not practice optometry as an eye doctor but as an optician.

Probably - if you can practice at all. You'd have to ask the Jordanian ministry of health to be certain.