Are you curious to know about Optometry?
In this article, we have provided complete details, about a career in Optometry which covers optometry courses in India, eligibility criteria, top colleges, career opportunities and salary details. Before we begin to explore optometry courses, let’s understand “what is optometry?”
“Optometry is the healthcare profession of measuring vision, prescribes and fitting lenses to improve vision, and detecting & treating various eye diseases”
The name “Optometry” comes from the Greek words opsis which means “sight” & metron which means “something used to measure”.
The historical backdrop of optometry can be followed back to the earlier studies on optics and image formation by the eye.
The term optometry appeared in the book “A Treatise on the Eye: The Manner and Phenomena of Vision” that was written by Scottish physician William Porterfield in 1759.
Optometry is a satisfying career in medical courses in various ways. It is a dynamic and challenging career that offers self-awareness, work flexibility, community respect, money related achievement & unlimited opportunities.
Also Check – Courses after 12th Science
A career in optometry offers a high salary, job stability, tremendous potential for development and a decent work environment in a healthcare industry.
B.Optometry Course Details
The Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom) is an undergraduate course that focuses on the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of eye disorders, vision defects, and prescribing corrective lenses.
The total course duration is 4 years, which includes 3 years of academic study and one year of clinical internship.
Below are the key highlights of Bachelor of Optometry:
| B.Optometry Course | Details |
| B.Optometry Full Form | Bachelor of Optometry |
| B.Optometry Course Level | Undergraduate (UG) |
| Course Duration | 4 years |
| B.Optom Eligibility | 10+2 (PCB) |
| B.Optom Entrance Exams | NEET UG, AIIMS Optometry Exam |
| B.Optom Admission Process | Counselling Process, 12th Merit based |
| B.Optom Course fee | INR 10000 – 4 lakh |
| B.Optom Top Colleges | AIIMS Delhi, CMC Vellore, AIIMS Rishikesh, Jamia Hamdard |
| B.Optom Average Salary | INR 4-6 LPA (Approx) |
| B.Optom Career Scope | Eye Clinics, Hospitals, Optical Retail Chains, Eye wear companies |
| B.Optom Job Profiles | Contact Lens Specialist, Clinical Optometrist, Pediatric Optometrist, Professor |
| B.Optom Top Recruiters | Fortis Healthcare, Max Healthcare, AIIMS, Narayana Nethralaya |
Interested in Medical Courses?
Check: Best medical courses after 12th without NEET
Optometry Courses in India
Optometry is one of the growing medical field in India. Candidates have numerous courses option to pursue ranging from diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate.
Some of the popular Optometry courses after 12th are given below:
Diploma in Optometry
Diploma in optometry is a short term course that students can pursue after 12th. The course duration is 2 to 3 years and provides basic knowledge in vision testing, lens dispensing, and eye care instrumentation.
some of the popular diploma courses are:
- Diploma in Optometry
- Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology
UG Courses in Optometry
The UG courses in optometry are the degree courses that students can pursue after 12th. The courses duration for UG courses is 4 years and covers theoretical and practical training in optics, visual science and clinical optometry.
Some of the popular UG courses are:
- Bachelor of Science in Optometry (B.Sc Optometry)
- Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom)
Postgraduate Courses in Optometry
After completing UG courses, candidates can pursue master’s in optometry. The course duration for PG courses in optometry is 2 year.
The course covers in-depth knowledge in vision science, ocular diseases and clinical procedures.
Some of the popular PG courses are:
- M.Sc in Optometry (2 years)
Eligibility Criteria
What qualification is required to become an Optician in India?
To become an Optometrist in India, you need to meet specific eligibility criteria related to education and entrance requirements. The eligibility conditions are mentioned in detail below:
Educational Qualifications
Candidates must have completed 12th grade (or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) or Mathematics (PCM).
Age Limit
There is no fix age limit for pursuing optometry course in India, but many institutions may set a lower age limit of 17 years at the time of admission.
Entrance Exam
Many top universities and colleges conduct entrance exams for admission to the Optometry courses, while some offer admission on the basis of 12th merit score.
Some of the popular entrance exams are:
- NEET UG
- AIIMS Optometry Exam
Confused what to do after 12th: Learn Courses and Career options After 12th
Top Optometry Colleges in India
Here is the list of top colleges in India that offers education in Optometry
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal
- AIIMS Rishikesh
- Jamia Hamdard
- L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad
- Shree Bharatimaiya College of Optometry, Surat
- Amity University, Noida
- Chitkara University, Punjab
- Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
- Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune
- Institute of Public Health and Optometry, Hyderabad
- Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
Career Opportunities
After studying Optometry, you can make your career as optometrists, Ophthalmologists & Optician.
Confused about optometrists, ophthalmologists & Optician? We Clear It Up for You.
Ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians each play very important role in providing eye care to the patients.
How about we begin with optometrists?
Optometrist is the independent primary health care provider who specializes in eye care and visual health. An Optometrist is medical professionals, but not physicians. They focus on regular vision care and prescribe eyeglasses and contacts. Optometrist examines the internal and external structure of the eyes.
An ophthalmologist is a physician (medical doctor) who specializes in the surgical and medical care of the eye & vision system. Ophthalmologists offer complete eye care services. These include: Vision services, Medical eye care, Surgical eye care, Diagnosis and treatment of eye, Plastic surgery.
Optician is also a very important part of the eye care team, but it is not an eye doctor. An optician uses a prescription that is written by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. Optician is a technician who is trained to design, verify fit eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses, and other devices to correct eyesight.
The career opportunities in all these fields are wide & huge in demand both in India and abroad.
Optometrists can work as post-secondary teachers, occupational/industrial safety programs, consultants in the eye care industry or do research in optometry colleges. Optometrists can also set up their own private clinics & work independently. They can also choose a career in sports vision, public health and government service or community health centers.
Ophthalmologist may choose to set himself up in private practice, as a solo practitioner or as part of a medical group. As an Ophthalmologist, you can work as a public health employee, professor in the medical universities, military doctor, & as an employee of a clinic, hospital & government agencies.
Top Job Profiles
Some most famous job profiles of Optometrists are given below.
- Trainee Optometrist
- Vision Consultant
- Private Practitioner
- Professor/Trainer
- Optometry Researcher
Salary & Pay Scale
The initial monthly salary of an optometrist could range between Rs.20, 000 to Rs.40, 000. The salary can vary based on the factors like candidates’s experience, employer, job location and skills.
Graduates with 3-7 years of experience, can earn between ₹4,00000 to ₹5,00000 per annum. The salary of an optometrist working with a hospital chain or running their own clinics can earn around ₹ 6 to 10 lakhs per annum or more.
Books & Study Material
- Clinical Anatomy of the Eye by Richard S. Snell
- Anterior Eye Disease and Therapeutics by Adrian S. Bruce
- Primary Care Optometry by Theodore Grosvenor
- Clinical Ophthalmology: (A Systematic Approach) by Jack J. Kanski
- The Neuro-Ophthalmology Survival Guide by Anthony Pane
- Optometry: Science, Techniques and Clinical Management by Edwards, Logan, Nicola, Rosenfield, Mark
Career in Optometry FAQs
For more information regarding Career in Optometry, feel free to ask your queries below.
Best option for carrier develop after m. Optom
Candidates can go for private practice or clinics or Work in research institutions or companies focused on developing new optical products.
10th के बेसेस पे यह कोर्स कर सकते हैं
10+2 is mandatory to pursue B.Sc in Optometry.
Apart from clinical side what are the way if job is there effectively ?
Candidates can work in Research and Development, consulting, education & academia.
I am an Bsc optometry holder like to know what to do next
Pursuing a master’s degree could be a good option to deepen your knowledge and enhance your qualifications.
I have completed my b.sc Optometry and I’m searching for a job in Bangalore in clinical field
i have completed B.optometry , and want to know more about my career path in India and also in abroad , please help me for choosing better option .
I have done B.Sc. Botany with 64 % and Also completed D.Pharmacy with 79% so please guide me about admission for optometry course, can I take an admission for this course? and if yes then please mail me regarding the procedure for admission along with fees structure.
Can i study opthalmology after completeing my B.optometry course?
for being an eye doctor after pursuing 10+2 in science which subject should i choose
?
Is optometry is a good course
Plz tell which is best pharma D or optometry
After completing B.optom can i use “Dr”before my name……?
Please sir discribe the diploma optometry fieald..
To become a optpmetrist you have to join a good school of optometry as in bachelor of optometry in india, you will get a lisence to work.. and one more thing Optometry is not a distance learning course, you need to practise a lot, there are so many eye disease how will you treat patients without practise…anyways it is good course fun to learn n easy if you are familar with medical world… BEST OF LUCK
After optematry can we do surgery of eye or not for surgery what we have to study after optematry
For surgery you have to do MS specialization course.
Is it possible to do ophthalmology after doing bachelor in optometrist.
What are the pg courses after optometrist.
i want distance optometry
How to admission in this course ?
Date of admission?
Course fees?
B.s.c optometry k bad hmy koncy scale ke job mel skte h pakistan mae?????plz reply me
Carrier in Opthalmology