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Retail Optical Chains
LensCrafters, Visionworks, Pearle Vision
Optometrists
Optometrists examine eyes, prescribe glasses or contact lenses, and look for signs of disease that can threaten vision. The job stands out because it mixes hands-on patient care with careful medical judgment: one visit might end with a simple lens prescription, while another may uncover glaucoma or a problem that needs a specialist. The tradeoff is that the work is highly skilled and well paid, but it is mostly in person and carries real responsibility for spotting subtle eye disease early.
Also known as OptometristDoctor of OptometryStaff OptometristAssociate OptometristClinical Optometrist
Median Salary
$134,830
Mean $140,940
U.S. Workforce
~42K
2.4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+8%
47.8K to 51.6K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Optometrists sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~42K workers, with a median annual pay of $134,830 and roughly 2.4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 47.8 K in 2024 to 51.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctor of Optometry (OD), and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Optometry Resident and can progress toward Senior Optometrist / Practice Owner. High-value skills usually include Eye Examinations, Refraction & Retinoscopy, Contact Lens Fitting & Corneal Measurements, and Slit Lamp, Tonometry & Ophthalmic Instruments, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Reading Comprehension.
Core Responsibilities
- Examine patients' eyes and vision to figure out how clearly they see and whether both eyes are working together properly.
- Check for eye diseases and other health problems by using specialized instruments, eye drops, and close visual inspection.
- Decide what kind of treatment, glasses, contact lenses, or other vision correction a patient needs.
- Fit, adjust, and fine-tune glasses or contact lenses so they are comfortable and work as intended.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Examine patients' eyes and vision to figure out how clearly they see and whether both eyes are working together properly.
02 Check for eye diseases and other health problems by using specialized instruments, eye drops, and close visual inspection.
03 Decide what kind of treatment, glasses, contact lenses, or other vision correction a patient needs.
04 Fit, adjust, and fine-tune glasses or contact lenses so they are comfortable and work as intended.
05 Write up exam findings, keep patient records updated, and send people to an ophthalmologist or other doctor when the problem is beyond routine care.
06 Teach patients how to care for contacts, protect their eyes, and prepare for surgery or recover afterward when needed.
Industries That Hire
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Private Optometry Practices
MyEyeDr., Clarkson Eyecare, EyeCare Partners
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Hospitals and Health Systems
Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente
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Ophthalmology and Eye Surgery Centers
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, NVISION Eye Centers, TLC Laser Eye Centers
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Government and Military Health Care
Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for a healthcare job, with a median annual wage of $134,830 and a mean of $140,940.
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The role has a clear education path: once you finish the required doctoral or professional degree, there is no required on-the-job training.
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The work is varied, combining exams, prescriptions, contact lens fitting, and disease screening instead of only one kind of task.
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You get a lot of one-on-one patient interaction and still use clinical judgment every day.
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The outlook is steady, with 8.0% projected growth and about 2.4 thousand annual openings.
Challenges
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The training path is long and demanding: the typical entry level is a doctoral or professional degree, and 95.24% of workers in the source data have a doctorate.
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Remote work is very limited because the job depends on in-person eye exams and specialized equipment.
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There is serious responsibility baked into the role; missing early signs of glaucoma or other disease can affect a patient's vision.
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Growth is positive but not explosive, with only 3.8 thousand net jobs added over a decade and 2.4 thousand openings per year.
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Career advancement can flatten unless you specialize, buy into a practice, or move into ownership, and some jobs are tied to retail sales or insurance pressure.
Career Progression
Optometry Resident
0-1 years
$55K-$75K
Works in a supervised training setting, building speed and accuracy with exams, instruments, and patient communication.
New Graduate Optometrist
1-3 years
$100K-$124K
Handles routine eye exams, contact lens fittings, and common prescriptions with less oversight.
Optometrist THIS ROLE
3-8 years
$125K-$154K
Runs full eye exams, screens for disease, manages referrals, and makes most day-to-day clinical decisions independently.
Senior Optometrist / Practice Owner
8+ years
$155K-$225K
Takes on harder cases, supervises staff, and may also manage the business side of a clinic or optical practice.
Education Paths
Doctor of Optometry (OD)
This is the standard route, held by 95.24% of workers in the source education data, and it typically leads directly to licensure.
First Professional Degree in Optometry
A smaller 4.76% are listed in the source data with this pathway, which is another professional-school route into the occupation.
Post-OD Residency or Fellowship
This is an optional next step for optometrists who want deeper training in areas like ocular disease or contact lenses, but the source distribution does not show a separate percentage for it.
Key Skills
Technical
Eye Examinations, Refraction & Retinoscopy 95%
Contact Lens Fitting & Corneal Measurements 90%
Slit Lamp, Tonometry & Ophthalmic Instruments 88%
Eye Disease Screening & Treatment Planning 84%
Electronic Health Records (EHR) & Clinical Documentation 80%
Prescription Rules, Medication Safety & State Optometry Laws 76%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionSpeakingWritingSocial Perceptiveness Job Outlook and Trends
+8%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
2.4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 47.8K to 51.6 K over the next decade, representing 8% growth. Around 2.4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.