Jobs and Tasks Optometrists Perform

In a webinar this week, I listed jobs and tasks that Optometrists perform on daily basis:

1. Optometrists perform comprehensive eye exams in accordance with what the local regulations allow them to do;
2. Optometrist are experts at using diagnostic equipment at hand and they are trusted in taking measurements related to ocular conditions;
3. Optometrists are good listeners, they Listen to patients’ needs and address patient’s questions and concerns about eye health information as well as prescription information.
4. They record all tests, medical history, symptoms, prescriptions, and patient treatments;
5. Optometrists demonstrate exceptional knowledge about the products they use and they are able to communicate features and benefits to the patient. The recommendations that an optometrist provides in the testing room increase the motivation of the patient to buy products.
6. They identify eye health safety factors that could impact vision
7. They chose the right brands and products and provide the right arguments to commercialize and sell them allowing themselves to act as representatives for those brands with specific criteria, and frequently they talk to other eye care providers about those brands in events and seminars;
8. They participate in Optometry events and Continuing education sessions;
9. Co-manage cases with ophthalmologists, like refractive surgery, cataract surgery;
10. Coordinate referrals for appropriate follow up as needed;
11. They do Contact lens services: fitting, selling, and troubleshooting
12. They do optical dispensing services, optical frames, and other eye health-related products;
13. They do Low vision services, Vision therapy, Color Blindness services;
14. In parts of the world if they are allowed to; they prescribe pharmaceutical agents to follow and treat Glaucoma patients.
15. They do Optical services, lens edging, lens coating, and tinting,
16. They perform lens surfacing, they integrate finishing laboratories in their practice, which helps them speed up the delivery of eyewear products.
17. In education and academia: they do research
18. They do studies on their own, or as part of an interdisciplinary research team of scholars;
19. They work as faculty, professors, they prepare optometry curriculum, they lecture, and author books;
20. They edit articles, optometry books, practice management books;
21. They serve as editors and editors in chief in magazines and journals;
22. They also work as administrative in government public health positions and universities;