Optician To Optometrist

[eyecarepro]

I have come to the conclusion that I've just about capped out my salary as a Licensed Optician in Virginia. I have bigger salary/career aspirations for my future as I am not getting any younger and it's not getting any cheaper to live in the Northern Virginia area. Does any one who lives in or practices in the Northern Virginia area know where the closest accredited school for optometry would be? What's the best (and quickest) way to become an optometrist? I can't really travel too far to go to school and I certainly can't cut my hours from full time to part time, I need every penny I'm making right now. I figure with being an optician for almost ten years, becoming an optometrist would be the next logical step up to further my career and my earning potential. Any input would be much appreciated on this.

[Dave Nelson]

I would'nt want to discourage your career aspirations, but I don't think there are any part time optometry programs, the ones that do exist would be very expensive, and require many years of serious effort. Maybe you could consider being either a certified ophthalmic technician, or certified ophthalmic medical technologist. There may be more opportunty to persue these designations while maintaining a full time job, and you may be able to work in a more clinical setting while obtaining them. Good luck

[fjpod]

There are no part time Optometry programs (in the US and Canada, anyway). The closest college of optometry to Northern Virginia is probably the Pa. College of Optometry or the Southern College of Optometry. You could go to their websites to look at entrance requirements. Generally, a Bachelor's degree is required for admission to the four year, full time program.

I would also talk to ODs that you might know from work. Pay a visit to one of the colleges.

Optometry school is a BIG investment in time and money. It is a wonderful career, and most ODs make very good money...but I do know some opticians who make more than some ODs...so anything is possible.

Good luck.

[Jubilee]

When I was considering going to Optometry School, I talked to several schools. I was basically told that being an optician certainly helps in gaining admittance, but when you are actually in optometry school even a part time job may be too much to handle.

The costs for even an instate program can run easily 10-20grand a year, not counting supplies, equipment, etc..

This was one of the reasons why I ended up not pursuing this option further, though I do think I would love it. I can't afford not to work...

Cassandra

[Aarlan]

I What's the best (and quickest) way to become an optometrist?

There is no quick way to become an optometrist. How many college credits have you completed? What was your GPA?

All the optometry colleges require most of the following: Calc, Org Chem, BioChem, Anatomy, Physiology, MicroBiology, Statistics, Psychology. To get into these classes there are a number of prerequisites to fulfill (for example, most colleges won't let you into Organic chem without 2 semesters of General Chemistry). If you have no college credits or limited to specialized community college credit, you will need 3-4 years of undergrad work to be considered for optometry.

Most schools require a GPA of between 3.15 and 3.6, depending on the school.

The OAT is mandatory as well, and it doesn't make sense to take this test w/out taking the above classes, since most of the test is knowledge based.

Tuition ranges between 19K (Tennesee) and 34K (Alabama) a year. THis doesn't include living expenses, equipment, etc. Many schools however, are public colleges, and offer in state tuition to those who have lived there over 1 yr...meaning the yearly tuition can drop in some cases to 13K to 20K a year instead.

I can't really travel too far to go to school and I certainly can't cut my hours from full time to part time, I need every penny I'm making right now.

Optometry School is an all or nothing undertaking. There aren't any part time programs. If you are serious, you do need to commit full time to the program..there simply isn't any other way to do it. There are student loans, grants and scholarships available to help you out with the financial burden.

I figure with being an optician for almost ten years, becoming an optometrist would be the next logical step up to further my career and my earning potential. .

Although that would seem to make sense, it isn't a progression from optician to optometrist to Ophthalmologist. An OD, for example, normally goes through 4 years of undergraduate school and then 4 years of Optometry School. If an OD wants to become an eye surgeon, he/she has to start over by applying to Med school (application takes approx 1 yr, then 4 years of Med School, then the 3-5 years (?) for the residency in Ophthalmology...If you get accepted into the Opth res...only top 10-15% med students get in). Essentially their 4 years in OD school and any experience counts for nothing towards med school.

AA

[Aarlan]

Try this site for better info on OD schools.

It has the average GPA/OAT for all the students in each school, what each school specifically requires for courses, the yearly tuition and lots of other stuff

www.opted.org

http://www.opted.org/info_profile1.cfm

http://www.opted.org/info_profile2.cfm


AA

[eyecarepro]

Okay, so I obviously needed a little light shed on a few of the specifics on becoming a optometrist. However, I still feel like I'm running in circles as to where I want to take my career at this point. I mistakenly thought that a license would take me further than it has. Ten years of experience and I'm ready to branch out. I really feel very rounded as an optician and I just want something a little more. Short of selling my soul to creditors I really don't have any way to fund my Optometry School idea, or any kind of business ventures. Soooo, that being said, I'm going to throw one last thought in: Are there any opticianry spin-off careers that I might be able to look into that I may be overlooking (excluding being a sales rep)?

[Chris Bowers]

Eyecarepro,



I see from your bio that you live in the U.S.A. This is a country that rewards people who have aspirations like you. This country is desirous of people who are willing to risk all for their personal gain. We have granted laws that exclude (bankruptcy) life long debt for those that better themselves and in doing so better the whole of society. There is a caveat; you have to go against others who likewise are willing to give it there all. If indeed you want financial security forget the 40-hour workweek. I have never met anyone who has a successful career that works 40 hours per week. Just a little trivia, the 40 hour work week was enacted due to the great depression, The thought was that if those that had jobs would scale back to 40 hour that would leave work for others.

This forum is filled with savvy people. These same people have built great businesses and personal fortune and I’ll ask them to weigh in as to how many hours they devote to their passion. These same people think every waking hour about their passion. They read these types of correspondence in their "free time".

As a non-owner employee you’ll most likely never reach your potential. You will always be up against someone who is willing to take the easy road for less pay.

Closing thoughts…

Risk equals rewards

Rewards equal risk

And I wold be honored to be your first cash paying patient.

[Johns]

I have come to the conclusion that I've just about capped out my salary as a Licensed Optician in Virginia. I have bigger salary/career aspirations for my future as I am not getting any younger and it's not getting any cheaper to live in the Northern Virginia area. .

It would appear that you are not passionate about optometry, just passionate about making more money. There's nothing wrong with that, but, as my dad told me, "If you make a million dollars a day, and you don't like your job, you're underpaid.

If you want to make a lot of money, don't limit your search to a field you happen to know a little about...get out of your comfort zone and find something you can be passionate about, and that also happens to bring the money with it.

[rbaker]

Chris Bowers has offered you some great advice. He sounds a lot like me dear old grand pappy who came here to the USA at the turn of the century with only $25,000.00 in his pocket. He was a proponent of education, the 100 hour work weeks and leaving thing in better shape behind him. He retired at fifty, a wealthy man, and spent the next thirty years fishin, huntin, and giving away most of what he had made. Today, there are over a hundred scholarships to engineering schools being funded from his estate. He lived and died a happy man.

I too, am now retired. I spent a lot of years laboring in the eyecare vineyard and much like yourself I found myself “capped out” salary wise many times. However, I always had other things going for me. I was a Naval Aviator and when I transferred to the Fleet Marine Reserves in 1969 began a part time career as a corporate pilot and also flew for a commuter airline. When the computer put in its appearance I went back to school and got a BS in CS and started developing software for the eyecare and aviation business while still working full time in eyecare. I did finally put it on the line and do software development full time.

So, what did I learn. What can I pass on. Find something that you like to do which will provide you with a decent income. Don’t believe this BS about joy of work being the only thing. Toasting a squirrel on the end of a stick under a freeway bridge does not make for a happy and productive poet. Go to school. Always be taking a course in something or other. Most successful people are well educated and continually improving their knowledge and skills. Don’t be afraid of hard work – rest on the Sabbath - but only on the Sabbath. If you can find a mentor you will be a very lucky person. Try to become a true Renaissance Man. A little luck will also help but remember that luck comes only to those who have the balls to enter the casino put their chips on the line and throw the dice.

[Chris Ryser]

I figure with being an optician for almost ten years, becoming an optometrist would be the next logical step up to further my career and my earning potential. Any input would be much appreciated on this.

You had some fantastic advise on your post, I have to agree with mosy of them.

As you can not afford to go to school for a 4 year fulltime education, look for a part time job and find out at what elde you can be good................work eat and sleeo for a while until you can define the direction you want to take. Find out if can hold up to the stress of working 10 to 12 hours+.

[Jubilee]

There are all kinds of other certifications and directions people can take from here...

As was mentioned earlier, if you have som managerial experience and education, become a multi-doctor clinic manager

Get Certified for ophthalmic tech and assisting. Maybe you would like to help with the surgical aspects and more medical side...

Do you like or love what you currently do now?

Cassandra

[ilanh]

My two cents worth:
Personally, I think that a good technician is worth their weight in gold and that a lot of ophthalmologists will pay handsomely for someone who knows what they're doing. You will not make as much as an O.D but you may get close. Also, you certainly will save a fortune in tuition and lost revenues because the training is shorter and cheaper. However, the training is somewhat irrelevant since the real issue is how capable the techncian is. I have two technicians who can refract, take IOP's, administer all our diagnostic testing, field calls, scribe, assist in surgery, fit contact lenses etc. They are well paid because I know that if they left me they could find any number of ophthalmologists that would be frantic to hire them. The refraction issue is the one that's particularly crucial: you can teach the basic elements of refraction to anyone, but it requires hard work, genuine interest, self-study and intelligence to really master this aspect of the field. Those that can present the ophthalmologist with a refraction that's a few minutes away from the final prescription (ie: all I have to do is the check and refine it) will be highly prized employees.

[William Walker]

I read the whole thread, but I think somewhere I might have missed something. My obvious suggestion was going to be to open your own optical. You've been doing this for a number of years, so you have a client base that a decent percentage should want to follow you to. In owning an optical, you can make just as much (if not sometimes more) than an OD. Most of the time, for ODs to make really good money, they have to open their own optical, so you'd be doing the same thing, except not having business loans on top of educational loans. You hire in a doc for a monthly rent fee, and let them collect their fees, and you make money on the eyewear.

You get to use all the knowledge you've accumulated over the years, and expand into the business side.

My 2 cents

[drk]

Second Willie above. The logical solution.

[mike.elmes]

I read the whole thread, but I think somewhere I might have missed something. My obvious suggestion was going to be to open your own optical. You've been doing this for a number of years, so you have a client base that a decent percentage should want to follow you to. In owning an optical, you can make just as much (if not sometimes more) than an OD. Most of the time, for ODs to make really good money, they have to open their own optical, so you'd be doing the same thing, except not having business loans on top of educational loans. You hire in a doc for a monthly rent fee, and let them collect their fees, and you make money on the eyewear.

You get to use all the knowledge you've accumulated over the years, and expand into the business side.

My 2 cents

Exactly what I did 5 years ago.....Now I have the latest edging equipment(Essilor Kappa ctd) and Eyelogic remote computerized sight testing equipment....we do our own refracting, where the client meets the guidelines. We have done a few hundred sight tests now with only one client who, for whatever reason, was over minused in one eye. We retested and replaced the lens. This system works VERY well. We have optometerists in our mall and refer tons of people to them. In a nutshell...Be your own boss.

[Aarlan]

Exactly what I did 5 years ago.....Now I have the latest edging equipment(Essilor Kappa ctd) and Eyelogic remote computerized sight testing equipment....we do our own refracting, where the client meets the guidelines. We have done a few hundred sight tests now with only one client who, for whatever reason, was over minused in one eye. We retested and replaced the lens. This system works VERY well. We have optometerists in our mall and refer tons of people to them. In a nutshell...Be your own boss.

That's one of the issues in the US...Opticians cannot refract. Opticians are dependant upon ODs and MDs.

AA

[mike.elmes]

We are too.... the Eyelogic system is designed and run by an Ophthalmologist.
We do the refraction with an autophoropter and autorefractor combined with their old rx and they fax us the new RX...:)

[Aarlan]

Say again?


AA

[mike.elmes]

We are dependant on OD's and MD's too but this system allows us to have a hand in the outcome. It also means I can take this system on a bus to a remote area and set up in a community parking lot and test and dispense eyewear. We would fax the data from the sight test to the MD, and he would fax us back the rx.We have it setup in our mall location store and have no intentions of taking it north, but we do own the system. All we pay for is an anual software license, and xxx per rx.

For Clarity....we buy the system(autophoropter,autorefractor, Autolensometer, and computer program, with computer.also a chair and stand) We do the refracting with the autophoropter and auto refractor and plug in the previous rx and fax that info to the doctor. Within an hour or two he faxes back the patients signed prescription.
The patient signs a waiver indicating that they have seen an optometrist or ophthalmologist within the past 4-5 years to check for medical problems like glaucoma or cataracts. The sight test is extremely accurate.We love this system!!

[loncoa]

I hate to be contradictory (just joking) but wouldn't it make more sense if the waiver was for 2 or 3 years? Wouldn't it be really likely for stuff like Glaucoma and other eye disease to go undetected if, say, a patient hasn't had an eye health exam for 4 years, then gets a sight test, gets new glasses, and doesn't then return for eye health exam for another (insert here how long you expect this refraction to be useable) years? I realize that the onus must be on people to protect their vision, but, I just wonder if the waiver should be for a shorter time period.

[chip anderson]

Well, it's a way to make money. Don't really know why the O.D. doesn't just give you a rubber stamp signature. Would save a lot of time and faxing expense and be just as useful.

Chip

[The Critical Eye]

Well, it's a way to make money. Don't really know why the O.D. doesn't just give you a rubber stamp signature. Would save a lot of time and faxing expense and be just as useful.

Chip

Ummmm... if I'm following this correctly Chip... I think you've misinterpreted something. The Signing Dr. is the responsible party should there be liability issues. The Optician (technician) is actually viewed as an employee of the Dr's. (Ophthalmologists) who is being delegated a task. So unless the O.D. was getting paid for assuming this responsibility it wouldn't make much sense to hand over a rubber stamp signature.

[The Critical Eye]

I hate to be contradictory (just joking) but wouldn't it make more sense if the waiver was for 2 or 3 years? Wouldn't it be really likely for stuff like Glaucoma and other eye disease to go undetected if, say, a patient hasn't had an eye health exam for 4 years, then gets a sight test, gets new glasses, and doesn't then return for eye health exam for another (insert here how long you expect this refraction to be useable) years? I realize that the onus must be on people to protect their vision, but, I just wonder if the waiver should be for a shorter time period.

On one hand I agree with your thoughts. On the other... what about one walking into a dispensary and asking for their glasses to be duplicated into
a new pair. The optician happily does this and the customer is taken out of
the exam loop once again. The uneducated consumer can also on their own accord...say that it's only been 2 years since their last health assessment ... have no underlying problems... and try and skirt the exam costs again. There are numerous scenarios that can be presented.

The system is set up so that if final V.A.'s are not up to say 20/40 monocular or the authorizing Dr doesn't like the looks of some other part of the test results.. i.e.: big swings in cylindrical power... then the customer would be directed to an O.D. or Ophthalmologist.

I really think that a lot of it comes down to ... a persons ethics... $'s from an immediate sale vs sending the client away for a complete eye health assessment. I had a fellow the other day who wanted a site test but in having a casual conversation with him discovered that he had numerous medical conditions that he claimed were being addressed. We really felt that
in his best interests he should be seeing an Ophthalmologist...(which he said he had done within the last year) and after doing so.. if the M.D. didn't mind us sight testing this fellow then we'd be more than happy to.... and we'd send the final results onto him.
So ... what I'm saying is.. you the operator have the ability to set the time frame for eye health exams shorter than what is stated on the
waiver/informed consent form. This system can work very well...
be a great tool for front line work. One can use an NCT for tonometry... retinal photography.... etc. We can use a number of tools. Just say TeleMedicine.

[markssunwear]

Can a Optician do this,
waiver to sign?


[quote= what about one walking into a dispensary and asking for their glasses to be duplicated into
a new pair. The optician happily does this and the customer is taken out of
the exam loop once again. The uneducated consumer can also on their own accord...say that it's only been 2 years since their last health assessment ... have no underlying problems... and try and skirt the exam costs again. There are numerous scenarios that can be presented.