Healthcare Practitioners
Optometrists
Also called: Optometrist, Optometry Doctor (OD), Therapeutic Optometrist
US median pay
$136,570
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+9.5%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
2,000
45,100 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.
What they do day to day
- Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.
- Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.
- Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
- Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.
- Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors.
- Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
- Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
- Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
- Prescribe therapeutic procedures to correct or conserve vision.
- Provide vision therapy and low-vision rehabilitation.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4/5
- Coordination3.4/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Service Orientation3.2/5
- Persuasion3.2/5
- Instructing3.2/5
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry4.8/5
- Biology4.5/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.4/5
- English Language3.9/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
- Education and Training3.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Doctoral degree95%
Who this job suits
Mostly Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.