people don't know what optometrist does!

[mathymath]

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when i tell the educated people who i talk to every day that i am going to optometry school, they usually get a strange look on their face of surprise, as if they've never heard of anyone "becoming an optometrist" even though they go to one.
then the conversation usually goes 1 of 2 ways:

either, they are very impressed, and they say something like, WOW, you're going to be doing lasik surgery and stuff. wait, is optometry school part of med school? wow, you're so ambitious!

or they say, how long is that? did u have to take an prerequisites to get in? 4 years, really? im so surprised that it takes that long, weird

Do people do this to you guys too?

 

[mthomas2]

when i tell the educated people who i talk to every day that i am going to optometry school, they usually get a strange look on their face of surprise, as if they've never heard of anyone "becoming an optometrist" even though they go to one.
then the conversation usually goes 1 of 2 ways:

either, they are very impressed, and they say something like, WOW, you're going to be doing lasik surgery and stuff. wait, is optometry school part of med school? wow, you're so ambitious!

or they say, how long is that? did u have to take an prerequisites to get in? 4 years, really? im so surprised that it takes that long, weird

Do people do this to you guys too?

Absolutely- all the time. I have gotten use to not even discussing what I'm doing with friends and family and I won't until I get accepted into Optometry school because I'm tired of explaining myself.

 

[S_SEEN2020]

I understand how it is I get the same questions about length of program, lasik, and if I will even be considered a doctor. The funniest thing happened when I told one man that I am going to optometry school and he said "you are going to be looking at dead bodies," I was so confused, and then I was like "no, not AUTOPSY school, OPTOMETRY school, you know an eye doctor." He was like "oh . . . you have to admit though that the words do sound the same." I THINK NOT, BUT OKAY

 

[eyestrain]

I've had several people not even know what an optometrist is and had to tell them that an optometrist is an eye doctor. And I've had the same experience with the eye surgery questions. It seems like every member of my family has asked me if I'm going to do lasik. Maybe they all were hoping I was going to hand out free refractive surgeries to them. I'm also surprised at how many people have no idea what kind of schooling we go through. Once, a woman cutting my hair thought it was a 2 year undergrad program and couldn't believe it was actually 4 years of undergrad and then 4 more years of opt. school.

 

[sco1styear]

I feel that educating the public about what we do and the importance of it is a major short fall in our profession. So think of it as doing your part to educate them everytime you explain to someone what you are going to be doing. I know my family and friends have learned a lot! 🙂

 

[cpw]

You are totally correct. I explain to (even my own patients!) everyday what the difference is between optician, optometrist, and ophthalmologist. This is part of the reason BOTH of my diplomas are on prominent display in my main exam room. I actually get comments on them all the time since i'm out of state. People also ask WHY I have two diplomas. they have no clue basically.

 

[jonwill]

You students are doing the only thing that a reasonable person can do. Instead of getting upset at them, you are simply taking the time to inform them about the profession. Slowly but surely, the public will become educated. Good job.

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Yep...definitely know where you guys are coming from!!! I had a lady call our office, wanted to see if because we were "only optometrists" we charged less for an exam than an going to a "regular ophthamologist". When I told her that price varied by doctor she sounded confused, "Oh", she said, "I thought you guys couldn't charge as much because you aren't really doctors!" 😡 Egads!!!

 

[Ning]

Hey,

I hate it when people look down upon the profession. This one old dude asked me what I wanted to be. And when I told him I wanted to be an optometrist, he said, "oh, that's easy!" I wanted to kill him!!! Then there are those who don't know what an optometrist is until I tell them it's the person you see every year for an eye exam. Finally, lots of people also ask if I'm going to perform surgery. Get's quite annoying...but I guess the best we can do is educate the public.

Ning-Ju

 

[odstudent]

Yep...definitely know where you guys are coming from!!! I had a lady call our office, wanted to see if because we were "only optometrists" we charged less for an exam than an going to a "regular ophthamologist". When I told her that price varied by doctor she sounded confused, "Oh", she said, "I thought you guys couldn't charge as much because you aren't really doctors!" 😡 Egads!!!

~~dang i would be pissed!!! 😡

 

[Chuffsla]

I get that stuff all the time. Everyone seems to think that optoms do laser eye surgery 🙄

 

[rpames]

One of my wife's aunts asks me every time I see her if I'm going to do surgery. I see her several times a years and I have to explain the whole OD vs MD thing every time. She has also been known to say, "I should have WENT to college." One time she was telling me that one of her sons wanted to be a neurologist when he was younger. Then she waited for me to act impressed or something. As if anyone is impressed by things you WANTED to do but never did, hell, he never even went to undergrad. Hey, I wanted to fly like Superman when I was 10 y.o., aren't you impressed!

There are some people who out there who think an optometrist is only a technical diploma. Who cares, we know what it takes. My friends and I have adopted the, "not a real doctor" thing and now have fun with it. I had a friend who was going on a date with this girl for the first time, so I asked him if he had broken it to her that he was not going to be a "real" doctor.

 

[KHE]

Yep...definitely know where you guys are coming from!!! I had a lady call our office, wanted to see if because we were "only optometrists" we charged less for an exam than an going to a "regular ophthamologist". When I told her that price varied by doctor she sounded confused, "Oh", she said, "I thought you guys couldn't charge as much because you aren't really doctors!" 😡 Egads!!!

As frustrating as it is, you are likely going to be dealing with things like this until you retire or die. Its just a fact of life for the profession of optometry.

Miss Manners says you should never answer rudeness with more rudeness.

So that being said, just do your best to try to explain what it is that you do with a smiling face, and hopefully you'll get your reward in Heaven.

 

[eye_candie]

omg. i get that strange look all the time. ppl think that optometrist only prescribe glasses and contacts. they think the profession is real easy and that optometrist aren't real doctors. i hate it. i hate having to explain myself all the time, but i know that it's the best way to educate ppl about the profession..but it gets so annoying and tiring so i started putting down the definition for "what is an optometrist?" under my aim profile. and i will do the same for thefacebook and myspace soon. but on the upside, when patients at our office (i work for an optometrist) foundout that im going to be an optometrist and school starts in the fall...they always say "oh that's nice, it's a good profession...congrats!" we have a lot of senior citizens and they know optometrist do more than just contacts and glasses. i'm glad some ppl are well-educated🙂 don't be so discourage just think of the more we educate ppl about the profession, the more ppl will know, and hopefully they will tell their friends and familes and the less we have to explain ourselves in the future🙂

 

[achino2]

Yea, I also receive that look sometimes too. But the question that I get most is: "Oh, so is optometry a 2-year program?" Yes, that does bother me a bit, but again, I'm sure I don't know a lot about other professions as well.

 

[kiseki]

A professor of mine at my university recently asked me what i'd be doing after graduation during a dinner with other students, and she seemed kind of hesitant at first ('cause you know, there are those who don't decide on going to grad school or who don't know what they want to do yet) and i told her i'd be going to optometry school. and while i expected a "wow, congratulations" or "good for you" comment, instead she said "well everyone, you'll be able to get your glasses from her!" and i said "well...not for another 4 years" and her only reply was "WOW, four years?! Really?..." ...that made me kind of sad, but hopefully i'll get a chance to tell her more about the profession and what it takes. 😉

 

[Hines302]

This is just not limited to optometry though. Lots of people don't realize that it takes 4 years to be a Pharmacist, or to be a dentist. Lots of people don't actually know the extent of education that even medical doctors go through. Whats the movie quote from Van Wilder... "lots of people go to college for 7 years... they are called Doctors" Yeah not so much!

 

[prettygreeneyes]

As frustrating as it is, you are likely going to be dealing with things like this until you retire or die. Its just a fact of life for the profession of optometry.

Miss Manners says you should never answer rudeness with more rudeness.

So that being said, just do your best to try to explain what it is that you do with a smiling face, and hopefully you'll get your reward in Heaven.

I fully expect to have to explain my chosen profession to family, friends, and patients for many years to come, but it will be a labor of love, not anger. I assure you I was not rude in my response to the woman (not sure if in my original post I implied that I was... 😕 ) as it is not in my nature to do so, nor would my boss be very happy with me. As far as my eternal soul goes... well, get back to me later! 😉

 

[gsinccom]

This is just not limited to optometry though. Lots of people don't realize that it takes 4 years to be a Pharmacist, or to be a dentist.

must disagree here my friend; Pharmacy likely but Dentistry unlikely. Dentistry lacks little respect among the average northamerican...Seinfeld took the last bite at it with its Dr. Watley episodes 🙂 . We as future OD's we'll be working on our PR campaign for a while. Dentistry seems to have it mastered better than most everyone...even the MDs.