Optometry Replaced by Technology?

This forum made possible through the generous support of
SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

damusiel

Full Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Messages
16
Reaction score
3
Hello,

I am currently in high school and interested in becoming a optometrist. What is the future of optometry and will it be replaced by high tech technology and robots that will do it for us?

What are the pros and cons and should i become a optometrist?

Members don't see this ad.
 
The future of optometry isn't doomed because of technology, it's doomed because of humans, in particular, by the number of graduates finishing optometry school more and more.

There is a huge oversaturation problem now in the states and in Canada, it's going to dramatically worsen within 5-10 years.

pros
-relatively easy clean job
-decent pay (for now)

cons
-repetitive job, very, very repetitive
-huge oversupply of optometrists RIGHT NOW, even more to come (many news schools have opened up, not enough optometrists are retiring, every study has shown that there is already a sizable oversupply of optometrists that is only going to significantly worsen within 5-10 years)
-ongoing commercialization
-associations with no backbone who don't care one bit about optometrists or optometry
-same amount of schooling as dental/medicine/pharmacy but only a fraction of the pay that those fields get (i.e. optometrists get 70-90k usually stringing together several part time jobs to fill up a full schedule, no benefits/401k/health/dental/paid vacation/etc. - pharmacists for example get 100-120k with great benefits and time off, associate dentists who have newly graduated easily make 100k+ working only 3-4 days a week and their salary skyrockets to 150-200k whereas the most an optometrist can ever expect is 100-130k).
-you'll always be left with the feeling of "just" being an optometrist, once you're an optometrist, you're limited to optometry. If you're a pharmacist you can go into industry/corporate/consulting, MD's have a huge variety of things they can do, optometrists will always be the eye exam guy
-not seen as real doctors by the majority of healthcare professions and public
-huge oversupply makes it hard to find meaningful jobs
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
treytrey is a known troll on this forum, so take what he has to say with a grain of salt.

One of the optometrists I shadowed was about to enter optometry school when LASIK came out. He thought it would mean the end of the optometric profession, but it has actually helped out more than anything. LASIK patients go to ODs for yearly post-op care.

While an MIT student could program a robot to perform an exam, a robot will NOT be able to give people that doctor-patient experience that ODs have come to love about the profession. Patients may also not be trusting with robots.

Here is a link to the latest data on OD salaries. It averages between 103k -129k. Optometrist Salaries by education, experience, location and more - Salary.com Finding a job with that pay shouldn't be hard, even just out of OD school.

One thing to consider is that big cities may be saturated with optometrists, but there are many opportunities outside of them. There's a member of this forum that has had an opening in his office offering +$100k and benefits but hasn't been able to fill it. His office is in Connecticut.

Baby boomers are retiring, so not only do we have an aging population and all the vision issues associated with that, but we should see a proportionate amount of ODs retire soon as well (although the profession is not physically demanding so it may be less).

It can feel like each exam is the same, and every day may feel repetitive. It really depends on how you interact with each patient. When I was shadowing, there were usually two or three patients a day that had a unique problem or case that required special attention, so that can break up the monotony.

There are pros and cons to each profession. Don't let one person's bad experience cloud your judgement. Go shadow an optometrist or two and see for yourself. Pharmacists are stuck doing pharmacy things, and so are dentists (unless one teaches). Optometry is kinda the same, depending on what you want to specialize in. You can also teach or do research with a Masters in Vision Science. Don't compare the cons of one profession to the pros of another.

No matter what profession you end up choosing, only YOU can determine what you get out of it. If you're capable and work hard enough at it, you can be exceptional in your field.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I have no idea about what I'm saying please rip me apart

The fact that you use salary.com is hilarious. Here's something a bit more accurate. Optometrists and if you'd like data for Canada here you go.

Even better, go ahead and find listings in any city of your choosing, go ahead and find out what the starting salaries are. The figures on salary.com are inflated because they take into account private practise holders who've been in the business for 20-30+ years. To any job, you'll find that 10+ optometrists have already applied to it because there aren't enough jobs to go around. IT IS A FACT THAT GRADUATES FROM THE PAST 4-5 YEARS HAVE HAD TO STRING TOGETHER PART TIME JOBS TO GET BY. Go ahead, try and find jobs that pay more than 80k/year as an optometrist that isn't running a well established practise. I bet you'll clench your cheeks and try to prove me wrong, you'll search up "optometrist job opening" and look at the first few links and then rejoice when you see a few postings saying that america's best, sams, lenscrafter, walmart etc. say that you can make 150k easily (reality is, most of these places can't even break 80-90k).

Every year 1,350 new optometrists graduate while 420 retire.

Let that sink in - that number is going to get even higher, believe me.

Baby boomers are retiring yes - but even with that factored in, even with the increasingly aging population - regardless of all that, studies have been done, there are simply way too many optometrists being added into the system year by year than can be made up by optometrists retiring. The opening of 5 new schools within the past few years with potentially more to come is completely nonsensical, even KHE will agree with me on that. I'm not going to do your homework for you but several labor forecast studies done not only by the government but by the AOA itself have stated explicitly that there is already an oversupply which is going to get even worse.

Here you go buddy I'll do your homework for ya.
http://abcmo.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Lewin-Study-Optometry-Surplus.pdf

It should be an alarmingly huge red flag for you when you realize that these new schools accept sub 3.0 gpa sub 300 oat scoring applicants en masse just to grab their 40k a year in tuition. Hell, even the 'good' schools like ICO, NECO, SUNY etc. all accept substandard scoring applicants who would automatically get rejected by other 4 year schools like med/dental/pharm.

Also, optometrist, specialize? I'm sorry what? Optometrists do not specialize at all, their specialties are really minor. A residency in optometry gets you nothing, it adds nothing to your skill set, it doesn't distinguish you at all except for the potential to work at a VA or as a lecturer (optometry school lecturers get paid 60k/year).

The only troll here is yourself, the fact that you're so uneducated and misguided and completely unaware of reality is honestly mind boggling, but then I'm reminded that humans have a tendency to lie to themselves and tell themselves oh it'll all be okay just to get by.

Go ahead, apply to optometry school, go through 4 years of schooling, 200k+ debt only to land 3 part time jobs paying a total of 80-90k. Don't tell me no one warned ya. There's plenty of people and threads on here throughout the years that convey the same message. Go ahead and make an account on odwire.org, here's a tip, don't apply as a pre-opt student, apply as an optometrist, you'll see that what I'm saying and trying to tell people about here is t h e - e x a c t - s a m e - m e s s a g e


Good god you have a 3.0/2.9 gpa, you are going to be part of the problem.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
That survey acts under the assumption that ALL optometrists could increase the number of patients seen by 32% without adding staff. Just because they could doesn't mean ALL will or would want to. This assumption is not based on data but is just a hypothesis.

I looked for another study to confirm what this one found and couldn't find anything, so its claims are weak at best


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Trey, I would recommend you taking the extra time you spend typing everyday and use that to go back to a different four year program! I am going into optometry BECAUSE i have worked at a pharmacy 3+ years and have worked with 13-14 pharmacists during that time, some floaters, not ONE who has enjoyed their career. They make more money SOMETIMES, but are the most unhappy and regretful people I have ever met. I have also worked in a dental office, something i could never in my life do. I had a 3.8 GPA and a 370 OAT, so I understand where you're coming from with the whole "sub par" applicant pool, but not everyone going into his profession is expecting a 120K job on Manhattan island with lifetime benefits. Some just enjoy the field, enjoy the new procedures, like me. And before blaming your own situation on less competitive optometrists, realize that applies to every career on the freaking earth! there is competition, there is over saturation in everything. It it 2017 not 1735. But you're so smart you knew that right? But i guess not smart enough to maybe put in a few more hours on the job and get off the computer? Get another hobby, sell real estate on the side even, a lot of my optometrists friends do which boosts their income up to 200+. Just be a little innovative. Me and my fiancé are re-sell guru's we make almost a third person's worth of income just flipping real estate. EASY

No matter WHAT career, you're in, this self loathing- poor me attitude will destroy your life. It doesn't matter if your the garbage man or a congressman, there is competition, there is repetitiveness. You will find no different scenario anywhere else. And if the big factor to you is in fact money and you're not willing to take on new hobbies or businesses, then go back to med school! go do whatever the hell you want but get over yourself.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users
That survey acts under the assumption that ALL optometrists could increase the number of patients seen by 32% without adding staff. Just because they could doesn't mean ALL will or would want to. This assumption is not based on data but is just a hypothesis.

I looked for another study to confirm what this one found and couldn't find anything, so its claims are weak at best


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Good god, I feel sorry for you. Your inability to comprehend a simple study (among many conveying the same message) is frightening.
 
If professionalism cannot be maintained, this thread will close.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
"Employment of optometrists is projected to grow 27 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.

"Because vision problems tend to occur more frequently later in life, an aging population will require more optometrists. As people age, they become more susceptible to conditions that impair vision, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

"The number of people with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, has grown in recent years. Diabetes has been linked to increased rates of several eye conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, a condition that affects the blood vessels in the eye and may lead to loss of vision. More optometrists will be needed to monitor, treat, and refer individuals with chronic conditions stemming from diabetes.

"In addition, nearly all health plans cover medical eye care and many cover preventive eye exams. Furthermore, the number of individuals, particularly children, who have access to vision or eye care insurance is expected to continue to increase because of federal health insurance reform. More optometrists will be needed to provide services to more patients...

"[A] large number of currently practicing optometrists are expected to retire over the coming decade, creating opportunities for new optometrists."

Optometrists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Yet another source stating the future need for more optometrists.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Good god, I feel sorry for you. Your inability to comprehend a simple study (among many conveying the same message) is frightening.

Where are your sources for the many studies?
 
The baby boomer argument is not a good one. Oversupply is a real problem, and Optometry does need to find ways to adapt. I do find it interesting that treytrey has mentioned in another post that he likes Optometry, he just hates that he can't find a decent job outside of where he wants to live. Now he says Optometry is repetitive and boring, and not well respected. Not such a likable profession after all? Could it be that an unsatisfied ego is the real disappointment?

Here is some advice for you pre-opts: Find a job before you graduate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Most likely optometry is not a particular field that will be dominated by technology. But what is going to hurt is corporate and online sites. More companies are taking optometry and transforming them into large cash flow, like how CVS/Walgreens/retail handled pharmacy and soon mid-level NP/PA with minute clinics. It's already happening in some markets now for optometry (Walmart?). Online markets and bulk stores can take away from optometry offices by making glasses and contacts much cheaper for patients to buy.
Of course, why would you pay your optometrist office $100-200/pair of glasses when you can get more customization online for $30-50? Or even contacts? Boxes of contacts at my optometrist are a RIP OFF. I save nearly $50-100 buying an annual supply at Costco with great policies. You can't beat Costco.
 
Most likely optometry is not a particular field that will be dominated by technology. But what is going to hurt is corporate and online sites. More companies are taking optometry and transforming them into large cash flow, like how CVS/Walgreens/retail handled pharmacy and soon mid-level NP/PA with minute clinics. It's already happening in some markets now for optometry (Walmart?). Online markets and bulk stores can take away from optometry offices by making glasses and contacts much cheaper for patients to buy.
Of course, why would you pay your optometrist office $100-200/pair of glasses when you can get more customization online for $30-50? Or even contacts? Boxes of contacts at my optometrist are a RIP OFF. I save nearly $50-100 buying an annual supply at Costco with great policies. You can't beat Costco.

You are right but I would still go for it I love it
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Will Optometry be replaced with technology in 20 years?

It's not outside the realm of possibilities. I came across an article in either Optometry times or Primary Care Optometry News (one of the magazines in the 16-inch pile of magazines on my desk) a month ago that discussed the issue.

So we have Wavefront Refraction, SD-OCT, Optos, OCT, topographers, tomographers, OCT angiography, etc... I could go on all day about the new toys we have on the market. Some of these machines can do our jobs better and faster. Right now, we have 20 different machines doing 20 different things and some are integrated into the EMR programs and some are not. What's saving us from a robot takeover presently is that all these machines aren't integrated.

The companies who make these machines will eventually consume one another in corporate buyouts. It happened over a number of years with the contact lens companies. Once the patents are acquired, the individual machines can be integrated into just a few machines. This system plugs into an EMR. An engineer could even program an OCT to give the examiner a list of possible diagnoses, or if the machine is smart enough, THE diagnosis.

I envision a future where the optometrist examines 200 patients per day remotely. The data is all collected by a technician who is trained to operate the 3 integrated machines it will take to do your eye exam. Chair time with the tech will take 5 minutes. The patient may still be dilated, but that doesn't count as active chair time.

Remotely, the OD reviews the exam findings, photos, history, etc. The data might even be accessible in a 3-D virtual environment. From afar, the OD finalizes the Rx and any other treatments. He can interact with the patient via Skype.

Someone mentioned that the patients will never accept this, that they want human contact. Since when does the government care what YOU want? You will be forced to accept it.

The scary part of this scenario is the location of the doctor. He can be located in India, anywhere. Why pay someone 75 dollars per hour when you can outsource the job for a fraction of the cost? The equipment will be too expensive for a lone OD to buy and it will be owned by a corporation which will employ most everyone. Probably the government.

But say the AOA steps in and stops such outsourcing - in that event - we'd need mere fraction of the OD's we have now. Just do a little math. Your average OD now sees 15 to 20 patients per day, including follow-ups.

Technology isn't the only issue. Some jerks decided to offer "online eye exams" and they give you an Rx. The State of California, last I heard, is allowing it. They are taking advantage of the fact that the public is too lazy to go in for a real eye exam. The optimistic OD's say, "But we can educate the public," Yes, we can educate the public, etc ... but we've been educating these stupid Sheeple for decades and people STILL don't know the difference between saline and a disinfecting solution! For that manner, most of them don't know their right hand from their left, even adults!

The magazine article's solution for the techno-revolution that's sure to replace at least some of us is to expand optometry into primary care (so we can fill the gap in primary care by treating and managing systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol). Oh, goody!

The profession used to focus on refraction, vision therapy and non-medical treatments and they expanded into ophthalmology to "save the profession," and 25 years later, here we are again.

My answer is: Forget Optometry. Be very careful that any profession you choose isn't about to be consumed by the robotic revolution. What would be a viable alternative knowing this information? A robot can never take the place of a psychologist or many other professions. I can think of several off the top of my head. Best wishes.

FYI: I've been an OD for 20 years.
 
Last edited:
Go shadow an optometrist and ask any question you want. They will be more than happy to answer any question you have.
 
Last edited:
Still a great career, but go in with your eyes open:
I still love going to work every day. Love seeing patients and the environment is much nicer than most medical fields. I make a multiple of the ave OD salary, working 4 days/week and usually take 4 weeks of vacation along with a yearly mission trip. I own a PP and employ other OD's.

The big problem is that getting to where I am now is significantly more difficult/almost impossible.
Now that the new, unnecessary schools are graduating OD's, it will be a cut-throat world to be employed in and difficult to pay off student loans quick enough to enjoy the bulk of your career.

The pitch that an aging population will create more patients is mostly a myth. Most baby-boomers are already "elderly" and being seen. Most established OD's would love to increase their workload by 25%, which would more than cover the rest of the aging population.
There are flat-out too many optometry schools. Nearly all of the newest schools were opened by Osteopath programs looking to increase their revenue, not to serve an unmet need.
But by far the biggest anchor around a new grad's neck is debt. Owing more than $150K is my personal benchmark. If you goal is to work weekends at Walmart or PT for 3 different offices, great!...it should be your choice not mandated by a burdensome student loan.


If you're motivated and get lucky, you still can succeed. It'll just be a whole lot tougher.
For as much as I love my job, I'm not encouraging my kids to follow in my footsteps.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Still a great career, but go in with your eyes open:...
Agree.
I had a job lined up before starting school & worked through undergrad and optometry school to keep my loan total down.
Do the math of a $250K student loan with a $100K salary & its not pretty (worse if you want to buy a decent house/lifestyle)

My employer will not even interview an applicant from one of the new schools (Western U and anything after) and the sentiment against the OD mills cranking out new grads is growing.

I'm a recent grad, make $120K in a practice where salaries have grown every year, only owed $130K and I'm living modestly until my loan balance is 50% of my annual salary. On pace to really live like a doctor within the next 6-7 years, but I can't see how someone with double loan working in a corporate location for a flat salary can cut it. You won't starve, but you'll be living modestly for a looooooong time.
 
Will Optometry be replaced with technology in 20 years?

It's not outside the realm of possibilities. I came across an article in either Optometry times or Primary Care Optometry News (one of the magazines in the 16-inch pile of magazines on my desk) a month ago that discussed the issue.

So we have Wavefront Refraction, SD-OCT, Optos, OCT, topographers, tomographers, OCT angiography, etc... I could go on all day about the new toys we have on the market. Some of these machines can do our jobs better and faster. Right now, we have 20 different machines doing 20 different things and some are integrated into the EMR programs and some are not. What's saving us from a robot takeover presently is that all these machines aren't integrated.

The companies who make these machines will eventually consume one another in corporate buyouts. It happened over a number of years with the contact lens companies. Once the patents are acquired, the individual machines can be integrated into just a few machines. This system plugs into an EMR. An engineer could even program an OCT to give the examiner a list of possible diagnoses, or if the machine is smart enough, THE diagnosis.

I envision a future where the optometrist examines 200 patients per day remotely. The data is all collected by a technician who is trained to operate the 3 integrated machines it will take to do your eye exam. Chair time with the tech will take 5 minutes. The patient may still be dilated, but that doesn't count as active chair time.

Remotely, the OD reviews the exam findings, photos, history, etc. The data might even be accessible in a 3-D virtual environment. From afar, the OD finalizes the Rx and any other treatments. He can interact with the patient via Skype.

Someone mentioned that the patients will never accept this, that they want human contact. Since when does the government care what YOU want? You will be forced to accept it.

The scary part of this scenario is the location of the doctor. He can be located in India, anywhere. Why pay someone 75 dollars per hour when you can outsource the job for a fraction of the cost? The equipment will be too expensive for a lone OD to buy and it will be owned by a corporation which will employ most everyone. Probably the government.

But say the AOA steps in and stops such outsourcing - in that event - we'd need mere fraction of the OD's we have now. Just do a little math. Your average OD now sees 15 to 20 patients per day, including follow-ups.

Technology isn't the only issue. Some jerks decided to offer "online eye exams" and they give you an Rx. The State of California, last I heard, is allowing it. They are taking advantage of the fact that the public is too lazy to go in for a real eye exam. The optimistic OD's say, "But we can educate the public," Yes, we can educate the public, etc ... but we've been educating these stupid Sheeple for decades and people STILL don't know the difference between saline and a disinfecting solution! For that manner, most of them don't know their right hand from their left, even adults!

The magazine article's solution for the techno-revolution that's sure to replace at least some of us is to expand optometry into primary care (so we can fill the gap in primary care by treating and managing systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol). Oh, goody!

The profession used to focus on refraction, vision therapy and non-medical treatments and they expanded into ophthalmology to "save the profession," and 25 years later, here we are again.

My answer is: Forget Optometry. Be very careful that any profession you choose isn't about to be consumed by the robotic revolution. What would be a viable alternative knowing this information? A robot can never take the place of a psychologist or many other professions. I can think of several off the top of my head. Best wishes.

FYI: I've been an OD for 20 years.
I still think it's a good career and that story sounds crazy no one ever would like robots mess with your vision! For god sakes is the world gone crazy or something. Honesty this is what I would like to do in the future and it's actually growing a lot more
 
I have to admit that I like optometry more now than I did when I first started, and I'm making more money now than I thought was ever possible in optometry. Not oodles, but definitely exceeding the expectations I had when I first started. I do admit though, that going forward, "making the same" that I am now does seem increasingly more difficult. Saturation is increasingly a problem.

I don't consider optometry monotonous. I don't particularly recall if I did before (perhaps around the 5 year mark I didn't particularly enjoy it), but I enjoy doing eye exams now that I realise I'm fortunate to have this career.

All this stuff about patient perception, doctor prestige etc. are irrelevant. If you do your job well, and you take care of your patients, that is all that matters. For those with prestige concerns, they have personal issues related to narcissism. You are Dr. OD. What more do you want? People fawning at you everywhere you go because you are an "eye doctor"? Grow up. You're there to help people to see better, not for them to sit in your chair and marvel at how great and accomplished you are. The eye exam is about them, not you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Sadly, the public is already being primed for an automated exam, marketed as being "more precise." If one can market a product or service properly, one can convince the public of anything.

Any job that is repetitive will be replaced with automation, ranging from a desktop waiter, to a kiosk to replace people taking orders at fast food joints, to choker setters being replaced with big machines to grab and load logs.

I'm shopping for another career as a backup plan.
 
I never knew of that Clarifye thing. Here is a bogus paid-for advertisement "review" of the system.

clarifye review – Holdin' Holden

The bottom says, "I’m sharing #Clarifye in my life as part of a LensCrafters sponsored series for Socialstars™". No wonder. A quarter of the way into reading the "review", I'm shaking my head thinking, this is so planted, it's such a joke. What "neutral" eye exam attendee would have such a detailed knowledge of the elements of an eye exam and who goes in taking photos of all the different pieces of equipment?

Shame on Holdin' Holden for such blatant advertising masquerading as a neutral blog post.
 
It's my understanding that Clarifye is largely fiction - and that's not the point. Whether it's fact or fiction is irrelevant to my argument.

The purpose of this marketing campaign is to give the public a preview of future eye care and to prime the public into accepting it once all the technology and patents are merged.

I think it will take at least 15 years. In the meantime the powers-that-be have plenty of time to brainwash the sheeple into not just accepting an automated exam, but eagerly anticipating it.

I don't encourage anyone to pursue Optometry as a profession because when the day comes for the real automated examination, it will fall upon cheap technical labor to administer and upon a very few ODs to interpret.

In fact, there will be such an excess of eye care professionals in the US in 15-20 years that the job of interpretation of the clinical findings may fall solely to MD eye doctors, leaving ODs unemployed or only employed in the Third World.

The average OD degree costs 250k presently, correct? I don't think the rewards of the career are worth the debt load. That's the bottom line.

I'm sorry to be The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
 
There's an article in Primary Care Optometry News, October 2016. Page 16. By Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO. "Online Refraction Panel: Keep your patients by providing telehealth."

In it they discuss Opternative: At home refractions, My Vision Pod: Refractions in retail stores, Eye Netra: Mobile Refracting.

We have these technologies at our disposal right now and the question is, what's the market going to look like in ten, twenty years?
 
Ugh. I just got this in an email from an optometric site. We have none other than John Stossel promoting online eye exams and criticizing optometry for impeding progress.
 
This makes me sick. The AOA is fighting Opternative but Forbes predicts that they'll ultimately lose the legislative battle. You gotta love how they compare OD's to the hand weavers made obsolete by the invention of the loom! "Naturally, the AOA sees phone apps for eye prescriptions the same way the Luddite hand-weavers saw the development of power looms – they must be shut down." Our profession deserves more respect than this, but unfortunately this is how the public perceives us. Optometrists Feel Threatened By Technology, So Guess What Do They Do
 
Last edited:
An optometrist does much more than just a prescription though. If you’re pre tested, you’ve probably noticed how inaccurate the auto refractor can be. Additionally, only a doctor can take into consideration factors such as prism, etc. And an auto refractor can’t even refract on patients with high cylinder values. And as for optos, it one of the most advanced technology for retinal imaging, and the doctors I’ve worked with would still end up dialating the patient in many cases. And clarifye is a LensCrafters only thing and it’s operated by the doctor, it can’t replace the doctor imo. If we are at this point with technology in 2017, it’ll be a great while before optometrists are taken over by robots. And that would only take away their ability to write eyeglass prescriptions, which is not everything an optometrist does. Also optometry is a specialized skill just like dentristy and medicine. And whoever said that pharmacy school is more competetive and pharmacy less saturated than optometry has no clue what they’re talking about.
 
I have worked with many pharmacists as a lab technician and with many optometrists as well. And I have optometrists in the family as well. I live in a heavily populated city and there is no shortage of jobs here. And the pay is great too.
 
This makes me sick. The AOA is fighting Opternative but Forbes predicts that they'll ultimately lose the legislative battle. You gotta love how they compare OD's to the hand weavers made obsolete by the invention of the loom! "Naturally, the AOA sees phone apps for eye prescriptions the same way the Luddite hand-weavers saw the development of power looms – they must be shut down." Our profession deserves more respect than this, but unfortunately this is how the public perceives us. Optometrists Feel Threatened By Technology, So Guess What Do They Do

I visited their website and it seems that in order to get a prescription, you’d need a previous prescription from a doctor and it also seems like they have doctors working for them.
 
"I visited their website and it seems that in order to get a prescription, you’d need a previous prescription from a doctor and it also seems like they have doctors working for them."

It is my understanding that Opternative was established by two young ODs in California. They skirted the optometry laws and have teamed up with MD's who sign the eyeglass prescriptions and so the Board can do nothing about their recklessness.

They do a great disservice to everyone. For instance, do a cyclo refraction on about 30% of my patients. That can't be done online. Those with medical issues cannot be trusted to police themselves. They'll try an online service and may skip the medical portion if given the opportunity. I see Opternative asks if they have medical issues and those patients are not supposed to use the service, but frankly, relying upon the honor system isn't adequate. Patients lie.

The problem is that optometry has only changed in the eyes of optometrists. The public perception has not changed in 30 years. My own family doesn't know what I really do. They still, much to my chagrin, think all I do is glasses and contacts. (I do a lot of medical optometry and I take out a LOT of foreign bodies). Despite my educating them multiple times, they STILL think I just sign scripts all day long.

The perception of optometry by other health professionals has not changed much either. Even PAs and Nurse Practitioners view us with great skepticism and will send their families to the MD's first.

The problem is public image. We still have the image of being refractionists over and above all else. In the public eye, it's all we do. We still are "doctor wannabes." So why not replace the redundant wanabees with a cool computer program so you can do the "eye exam" from home? Pay $25 dollars. Get a script. Order online from Zenni Optical who teaches you how to take your own PD! When will it end?

We've allowed the selling off of our products first by allowing Zenni and 1800Contacts. The patients sued, I believe, for the latter. Now, we're allowing the selling off of our services starting with the refraction. It spells no good for the future.

I read something in the orthodontics section about how Invisalign has, in one single year, decreased the gross of orthodontics practices by 30% across the country. IN ONE YEAR.

When SHTF it might hit hard and fast in the same way. I hope the AOA succeeds in their lawsuit against Opternative or it will start another wave of third parties taking away our work.

You are correct in that it will be some time before the technology catches up to us. The biggest obstacles are probably patent ownership by multiple different parties that would first need to be integrated by these companies in order to come up with a system that can replace most of the medical portion. Example: A computer can diagnose anything on an OCT. All you need is the right image recognition software and I'm sure they're working on it as we speak.

The future might be grim for optometry, and for that matter, ANY profession that is repetitive (robotics can replace repetitive tasks).
 
OK. Here's my vision of Optometry in 20 years:

First of all, Opternative will do great at first and then it will die as people discover they have the wrong Rx. Too many people use digital devices and so it's hard on a lot of people to get an accurate Rx without cyclopentolate. Digital devices make accommodative hysteresis rampant.

I do believe a version of an office exam will remain.

The patient will check in an all-computerized office. The history and exam is input, gathered and administered by a tech with a 2-year degree. All the data is collected by a central computer connected to the cloud that gathers data from multiple machines and integrates it into an electronic chart. Everything is done via this method. Advances in optical imaging have made dilation for purposes of retinal evaluation a thing of the past.

The software sends the e-chart to a remotely located optometrist or ophthalmologist. If there are any red flags, it will alert the doctor. It will list a series of differential diagnoses and also probability scales regarding each. The doctor sits at a desk with five computer screens, each representing patients from one clinic. She analyzes the data and determines the need for special testing such as wet refraction or applanation tonometry, dilation, cyclo etc... The tech can, with the doctor's permission, do this testing for her. After finishing the eye exam, the doctor Skypes or Facetimes (or whatever, this is available now) the patient while he is still in the office and discusses the findings, treatments, etc. He prescribes any medications, spectacle or CL rx's, etc. All electronic.

In essence, the ophthalmic/optometric technician becomes to the optometrist as a paramedic is to an emergency room physician. The technician and the machine are extensions of the eye doctor.

This single doctor, with the aid of technology, can do the work of five optometrists. She sees 100 to 150 patients per day. Maybe more! If I'm given a case history of a patient presented in an easy-to-read tabular format I can analyze a chart in 2 minutes comfortably, faster if pressured. In an eight hour work day, one doctor could sign off on 240 eye exams.

Yeah, optometry will still exist, but who says the doctor will work in the US? She could work out of India and it would cut healthcare costs because of the wage difference. The insurance companies would embrace this in a heartbeat, even VSP.

It will open the door to outsourcing the profession AND it will be a way to decrease the need for optometrists by 80-90%.

THIS IS HOW TECHNOLOGY WILL CHANGE OPTOMETRY.
 
Last edited:
You'd have to be a multimillionaire to own such a clinic and so it will probably be the government or an insurance company or a hospital that owns the clinic. Behinds the scenes, MD's (ophthalmology) would love such an investment. Conveniently, the remote optometrist would refer necessary cases to local ophthalmologists, of course. They'd be the only eye doctors still presenting in-person.
 
A bit late to the discussion, but I think this discussion is still relevant. Here's a list of the pros and cons of optometry: Pros and Cons of Optometry
(let me know if this isn't allowed and I'll take this down).

Regarding the question about technology replacing optometrists, here's what I think:

First, I think the FDA already issued a warning letter to Opternative (FDA to Opternative: Online eye exams are a Class 2 device).

Second, I don't think technology will replace OD's. When I scribed for an optometrist, I realized there is so much variety to each patient that a living eye professional is necessary for an accurate prescription to be achieved. For instance, children tend to have eye muscles that accommodate very well, producing inaccurate or fluctuating prescriptions and may require cycloplegic refraction. Or a patient's rx may significantly jump from the previous rx, which can cause significant headaches if given the new rx. Or a patient with dry eyes may forget to blink during the exam, leading to inaccurate results. Or sometimes the patient gives responses that don't make sense based on their autorefraction & previous rx. Or a patient may actually have significant cataracts or need prisms. These require specialized tweaking by an alive eye doctor who can actually observe and talk to the patient and cater their rx based on their personal lifestyle and needs.

Finally, if you're still weary about technology, I recommend specializing. There are tons of options out there, such as ocular disease, vision therapy, low vision, and specialty contact lenses.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
That link from the blog is pretty good. Whoever came up with that list put some thought into it.

I realized there is so much variety to each patient that a living eye professional is necessary for an accurate prescription to be achieved.

This is absolutely not true. If you think a living eye professional is required to determine the EXACT Rx for a patient, then perhaps you are right. If you think you need a living eye professional to determine an adequate Rx for a patient, then absolutely not. Most people walk around with glasses that are less than exact refractions for their eyes. How many glasses are currently being worn that are 0.25 DS or 0.25 DC (or more?) off? How many people get by with OTC reading glasses? How many people with cyl wear spherical CLs? Further, there are places in the world where glasses are prescribed entirely by autorefractors. Lastly, if you've worked with a really accurate autorefractor, you'll realize that you could basically prescribe the numbers given by it and they'll work perfectly well for >95% of your patients.

Someone once said there is so much variety to each driving experience that a living driver is necessary for a car to be driven. We know that's not true.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
That link from the blog is pretty good. Whoever came up with that list put some thought into it.



This is absolutely not true. If you think a living eye professional is required to determine the EXACT Rx for a patient, then perhaps you are right. If you think you need a living eye professional to determine an adequate Rx for a patient, then absolutely not. Most people walk around with glasses that are less than exact refractions for their eyes. How many glasses are currently being worn that are 0.25 DS or 0.25 DC (or more?) off? How many people get by with OTC reading glasses? How many people with cyl wear spherical CLs? Further, there are places in the world where glasses are prescribed entirely by autorefractors, and if you've worked with a really accurate autorefractor, you'll understand why.

Someone once said there is so much variety to each driving experience that a living driver is necessary for a car to be driven. We know that's not true.

You're right. My choice of words is rather too extreme. EXACT rx needs a breathing, living optometrist. ADEQUATE rx ... well, not really. Autorefraction will suffice for an rx that will get you by.
 
I've only been a member of this community for a few weeks, and I don't get a chance to review the posts here as often as I'd like (and to be honest, I tend to skim through most of the topics), but I do get the overwhelming impression that most points/counter-points are simply rehashed from thread to thread. That blog post linked above is good, and I think if somebody could create an updating list of pros/cons, that might help reduce the redundancy in all these conversations. Simply refer all who are concerned with the future of the profession to the blog, where they can get all the arguments for the pros and cons in one place.
I must say that most comments in this thread are very well thoughtout and have some very good points both in favour and against. It just seems a bit reduntant, thats all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
You're right. My choice of words is rather too extreme. EXACT rx needs a breathing, living optometrist. ADEQUATE rx ... well, not really. Autorefraction will suffice for an rx that will get you by.
In the opinion of this humble pharmacist, you are likely correct. Technology will likely take a huge chunk of your workload away. There will always be a need for an OD because patients are living, breathing, complicated things. We are far, far away from true AI and automation being capable of performing the sorts of cognitive tasks that a medical professional handles.

The real problem is going to be the combination of professional oversupply and technology reducing the need for practitioners. We are dealing with this in pharmacy, which is big reason why I left clinical practice to do EMR work. If software is going to take away our jobs, might as well be the guy that keeps it running.
 
For a change of pace, since we kinda are talking about technology, it will be fascinating to see what innovations in technology will do to help better diagnosis ocular pathology, with or without optometrists at the helm.:) I think wide field OCT will be the next logical step (Optos is currently working on one), and then after that angio-widefield-OCT would be the logical progression. If anybody is interested, especially current students, I made a quick webpage to show how my clinical practice has evolved in the last 15 years (going back to when I was a student). The first retinal camera I saw was on a VA rotation. As you can see, things have changed drastically since then. Technology
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Hello,

I am currently in high school and interested in becoming a optometrist. What is the future of optometry and will it be replaced by high tech technology and robots that will do it for us?

What are the pros and cons and should i become a optometrist?
Optometrists aren’t really needed that much anymore
It’s pretty much a dead end.
 
Top