Optometry, << op TOM uh tree, >> is a profession devoted to the care of vision. Optometrists give eye health and vision examinations. They diagnose vision problems that affect a person’s ability to see nearby and distant objects clearly and to judge distance. They also test the ability of the eyes to work together and to change focus easily. Optometrists prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct faulty vision. In the United States, optometrists can perform minor procedures, such as removing foreign objects from the eye, and treat some forms of glaucoma and other eye diseases with drugs. They also may recommend vision therapy to help a person overcome certain vision problems.
To practice optometry in the United States or Canada, a person must pass an examination for a state or provincial license. Optometrists in the United States must have completed two or three years of preoptometry college work and graduated from a four-year school or college of optometry. Most optometry students have undergraduate degrees before entering the professional degree program. All schools and colleges of optometry award the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree. Canada has similar requirements. Additional information may be obtained from the American Optometric Association in St. Louis, Missouri.
