shaky hands

[estk44]

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Hi,

I'm currently an undergrad student trying to decide on a health care profession and I'm leaning towards optometry at the moment. I would like to become an optometrist, but I'm really concerned about my shaky hands. Sometimes I can keep them steady but other times I can't. It gets worse when I'm nervous or when I focus my attention on trying to keep them steady. Do I have a chance in optometry school with my shaky hands? Any advice/suggestion is appreciated!

 

[physicslover]

there is some guides on the functional guidelines of optometrists on the opted website that you can download. if you are able to perform all that is required of you, maybe it wont be a problem. I'm not really sure.


http://www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3343

 

[sillywhit]

i have the same question...i feel like my hands trembling is almost a psychological thing, but i don't know if i can fix it, or how important steady hands are for this profession. should i just give up on applying for optometry school, since I may not be able to get through the clinical part of the training?

 

[Mewcakes]

I think if you have steady enough hands to bring a full cup of water to your mouth and drink without spilling on yourself, you're probably okay.

A lot of the steadiness needed in optometry can be gained with confidence and practice. The only thing I could think of that might be a problem is injections, but again, more practice = steadier hand. So unless you are a neurologically unsteady person (like you shake due to faulty myelination or weird neural impulses. Or have a disease that makes you shaky), you'll probably be okay.

 

[DawgOD]

The only thing I could think of that might be a problem is injections, but again, more practice = steadier hand. So unless you are a neurologically unsteady person (like you shake due to faulty myelination or weird neural impulses. Or have a disease that makes you shaky), you'll probably be okay.

He wouldn't practice on me.. lmao.

 

[Mewcakes]

He wouldn't practice on me.. lmao.

haha, to be honest, I'm terrified of that portion. That and punctal D&C. Like....that can't be comfortable...and the needle is so big....Maybe we can practice on models first...?

 

[chocol8]

haha, to be honest, I'm terrified of that portion. That and punctal D&C. Like....that can't be comfortable...and the needle is so big....Maybe we can practice on models first...?

So you guys have to practice doing eye injections on each other? Fun times ...

 

[theta4alifetime]

my hands aren't surgeon-steady, but you have to hold things relatively still to be effective.

mewcakes is right...practice will help a lot. professors will also teach you how to hold things, so you should be ok (?)

i had a friend who was dreaming of dentistry school...she practiced her dexterity by carving soaps. i haven't heard of anything like that for optometry but maybe google will have some advice (?)

good luck!

 

[ABaverage]

You need steady hands, for sure. Things like 78/90 D, BIO, Gonio, any sort of foreign body removal, punctal dilation and irrigation,.. i think you get the point. I've always been steady with my hands and it helps a lot. Students I work with say I'm gentle and usually don't feel a thing. I've always been good with my hands though...

Shaky hands can be gotten rid of once you practice enough. Unless you have some underlying cause of shakiness, but I think you are just referring to nerves.

I had a student work with me who had shaky hands.. he hated it! Over time, it got better...