Optometry — careers, salary and study routes
Primary eye care — testing vision, prescribing glasses and contact lenses, and spotting eye disease early.
Check your fit for Optometry →What Optometry is about
Optometrists examine eyes, measure refractive errors, prescribe and fit spectacles and contact lenses, manage conditions such as squint and low vision, and detect signs of diseases like glaucoma, cataract and diabetic eye damage for referral to ophthalmologists. It is different from ophthalmology, which is a medical and surgical speciality for doctors.
It suits students who like precise, technical work and talking to patients. Optometrists work in eye hospitals, optical retail chains, lens and equipment companies, and their own practices. Demand for eye care in India is large and growing, although awareness of the profession is still catching up.
What you'll study
- Ocular anatomy, physiology and biochemistry
- Geometrical, physical and visual optics
- Refraction and clinical examination techniques
- Contact lenses and dispensing optics
- Binocular vision and orthoptics
- Ocular diseases and ocular pharmacology
- Low vision care and public health optometry
- Clinical training and an internship
Studying Optometry in India
You need PCB, PCM or PCMB in Class 12, depending on the institution. Admission is mostly through institute or university tests, state paramedical counselling, or Class 12 marks, so there is no single national exam. Optometry is among the allied health professions being brought under a national commission for allied and healthcare professions.
Typical degrees
- B.Optom / B.Sc Optometry (four years, commonly three years of study plus a one-year internship)
- Diploma in optometry or ophthalmic assistance (two years)
- M.Optom / M.Sc Optometry (two years)
Entrance exams
Most colleges admit on Class 12 marks or their own tests; there is no single national exam.
Routes in the US and UK
United States
Optometrists complete a bachelor’s, then a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD), and pass the national board exams and state licensing requirements.
United Kingdom
A three-year BSc or four-year MOptom in Optometry, followed by a supervised pre-registration period and registration with the General Optical Council (GOC).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?
An optometrist is a trained eye-care professional who tests vision, prescribes lenses and screens for disease. An ophthalmologist is a doctor who has done MBBS and then an MS or MD in ophthalmology, and performs eye surgery.
Can I open my own optical practice after B.Optom?
Yes, many optometrists run their own practices or optical stores. Experience in a hospital or a larger chain first helps you build clinical confidence and business knowledge.
Careers this major opens
The US Department of Education maps Optometry (CIP 51.1701 + 51.1803, 51.1801) to 3 Standard Occupational Classification codes. Salary and employment figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics via O*NET; the AI-durability signal is our own composite score.
Sources: NCES CIP-2020 → SOC-2018 crosswalk · US Bureau of Labor Statistics (via O*NET) · WhatTNext Ai AI-durability score. Careers ranked by US employment volume.