BOYNTON BEACH, Fla.—Many factors go into choosing a medical specialty such as optometry, including personal history, clinical interests, duration of the training involved, career opportunities, and financial and work-life balance considerations. New research now provides individuals who might be considering becoming an optometrist with information about the profession and how it might fit into their interests, skills, career goals and lifestyle aspirations.

Nearly 325 optometrists participated in the “Career Considerations in Optometry” survey conducted by Jobson Research in conjunction with Latinos en Optometry, a non-profit organization that aims to increase the number of Latino ODs and students in optometry schools, and Transitions Optical Limited, a manufacturer of photochromic lenses. Qualified participants, with anywhere from two to more than 20 years of experience, responded to questions about some critical factors that might help influence an individual’s decision to pursue a career in optometry.

“It’s important that students thoroughly evaluate their career options and make a well-informed decision about what will satisfy them personally and professionally,” said Diana Shechtman, OD, a Latinos en Optometry advisory board member. “We hope the findings from this survey will inspire students to consider pursuing a career in optometry.”
   
   
 This is the first of a two-part series. Look for Part 2 in next weekend’s edition where we will reveal survey findings about stress on the job, collaborative efforts with health care providers, creativity and technology, work-life balance and the future of optometry.
 
   


Job Satisfaction


Optometry is a growing field—the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting a 9 percent employment growth between 2022 and 2032, which is much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the bureau’s Occupational Outlook Handbook: Optometry. More than half (54 percent) of the survey’s respondents report being very satisfied with being an optometrist, while four in ten (39 percent) are somewhat satisfied. Most respondents (69 percent) agree that they have a great deal of security in their position (i.e., know where they stand; are certain of their future professionally; and are confident of their income and need for services in the future).


The field of optometry is also experiencing a growing emphasis on specialization to meet the changing needs of patients. While some optometrists describe themselves as primary eyecare providers, others concentrate on particular aspects of care within the profession. A majority of respondents (67 percent) described themselves as primary eyecare providers, while one-third identified themselves either as a primary optometrist with subspecialty skills (30 percent) or a subspecialist (3 percent). Top subspecialty areas included dry eye (65 percent), cornea and contact lenses (64 percent), ocular disease (55 percent) and glaucoma (51 percent).

About one in five respondents (20 percent) believe the need for optometrists and optometry subspecialties will increase significantly in the future, while close to half (46 percent) believe it will increase slightly and 22 percent think it will remain about the same. “Optometrists have the opportunity to explore a variety of career paths that go beyond traditional clinical practice with opportunities in various sectors, including corporate, academia, research and public health,” noted Sandra Juarez Fortenberry, OD, FAAO, a Latinos en Optometry advisory board member and dean for the University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry.


Patient Relationships and Continuity of Care


Doctors individually and collectively share the obligation to ensure that the care patients receive is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient and equitable. While specialties like surgery might have a one-time interaction, optometrists seek to develop long-term relationships with their patients to manage their health over time. Four in five (82 percent) optometrists surveyed say they have a great deal of returning patients. Eight in ten respondents (84 percent) said they spend virtually all of their time seeing and caring for patients.

Nearly 8 in 10 survey respondents (78 percent) agree that optometry provides a great deal of opportunity to see the end results of diagnosis/treatment. The vast majority (82 percent) of optometrists say they primarily have sole responsibility for patient outcomes in their work.


On the Job

The survey also revealed that autonomy can include optometrists’ ability to make decisions about their practice without being limited by organizational procedures, financial concerns or managerial control. For example, doctors can set their own hours, determine the number of patients they see, which tests and examinations to order, which drugs and procedures to prescribe and to whom referrals should be made.

Nearly nine in ten respondents (85 percent) say they have a great deal of autonomy in decision making and working independently.


While some elements of the job may be repetitive, such as eye examinations, determining prescriptions and fitting patients for corrective lenses, the diversity of patient interactions, specialties and advancements in the field can make being an optometrist an engaging and fulfilling career, the survey revealed.

One in three optometrists surveyed (33 percent) agree that they have a great deal of diversity (different tasks/activities) in their work, compared with 15 percent who say they have a great deal of routine (similar work).


Diversifying the Workforce


As visual impairment rates are expected to increase in the United States by 2050, especially among minority populations, diversifying the optometry workforce can help reduce disparities in access to vision health care. “A diverse optometry workforce can help improve access to and quality of vision care for all patients, especially for underserved minorities,” said Dr. Shechtman.

 
“Partnering with Latinos en Optometry allows us to engage directly with growing a diverse community in optometry,” said Arlene Barringer, senior marketing manager at Transitions Optical. “Our goal is to use these results to create additional resources in creating awareness and consideration of optometry as a profession, while also addressing the need for diversity and inclusion in the field to improve patient care.”

More than half (55 percent) of respondents agree that there will be at least a slight increase in the need for optometrists with diverse ethnic backgrounds in the future, while one in five (12 percent) say there will be a significant increase. Four in ten (41 percent) believe it will remain the same.

Respondents who identified themselves as Black or African American are more likely (75 percent) than those who identified themselves as Hispanic, Latino or of Spanish Origin (65 percent), Asian (58 percent) or White (53 percent) to agree that there will be at least a slight increase in the need for optometrists with diverse ethnic backgrounds in the future.

“Thanks to the efforts of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) along with the many corporations supporting Optometry Gives me Life and groups like Latinos en Optometry, National Optometric Association and others, we are seeing growing student interest in optometry,” said Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, president and CEO, New England College of Optometry and one of the co-founders of Latinos en Optometry. “According to the latest 2023-2024 OptomCAS Application Cycle Summary, there were 2,878 applicants to optometry schools and a 3.6 percent increase in Hispanic/Latino applicants, both all-time highs. There also was a 4.5 percent increase in Black/African American applicants.”

To view a free copy of the Career Considerations in Optometry executive summary click here.


Survey Methodology

 
This study was conducted by Jobson Optical Research and was fielded in July-August 2024. Eyecare professionals were contacted via email and invited to click on a link to complete a survey. An incentive of a chance to win an Amazon.com Gift Card was offered to entice participants. Respondents rated each category on a 10-point scale. Their responses were grouped together into 3 boxes. Ratings of 1-3 in the bottom box, ratings of 4-7 in the middle box and ratings of 8-10 in the top box. A total of 323 qualified respondents completed the survey.

Survey respondents were all practicing optometrists. Just over half (56 percent) respondents identified as female and 43 percent as male. Just over half (56 percent) say they are currently practicing in a single location practice, with the remaining respondents reporting working in practices with 2-3 locations (21 percent), small/regional chain with 4 to 20 locations (4 percent), large/national chain with 20+ locations (12 percent) and 6 percent in a hospital/clinic. About 4 in 10 (44 percent) of respondents have been in practice for more than 20 years, 31 percent for 11-20 years, 10 percent for 6-10 years and 7 percent for 2-5 years.

   
 

Read More About It

To learn more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the optical industry, read our October feature, Optical Industry Sees Gains in Diversity, But More Work Is Still Needed. Look for our November-December cover story about Human Capital: The Optical Workforce Now, coming your way later this month.