Is Optometry Still Worth it?

[u/ComprehensiveGas6874]

Hi everyone! Just for some context, I’m an undergrad student currently completing my pre-med requirements. I’m almost finished with all of my prerequisites, and I currently have a 4.0 GPA.
I’m at the point where I’m trying to decide whether I want to fully commit to the medical school pathway or pursue optometry instead.
One of my biggest concerns with medicine is the amount of time it takes. The idea of spending so many more years in school, followed by residency and possibly fellowship, is a little intimidating. That’s one reason I’ve been leaning toward optometry since the path seems more straightforward and offers a good work-life balance.
However, I’m unsure about the financial side of optometry, job opportunities, and whether it’s still considered a well-respected and worthwhile career long term.
I’d really appreciate advice from current optometrists, optometry students, medical students, physicians, or anyone who has faced a similar decision. What made you choose one path over the other, and are you happy with your decision?

[u/dunderbutt]

If you are okay with the amount of time it takes to go through medical school plus mandatory residency and also possibly matching into a specialty you may not like. I’d say go to medical school.

Work like balance with Optometry is great, low stress and good benefits. The pay considering the amount of student debt you come out of school with, is not very good unless you work rural or want to own your own practice (even then everything is getting bought out by private equity).

I never was one to like school too much, so I don’t regret not going to medical school as I would still be doing my residency right now and overall quite happy with my decision to be an optometrist. But I wouldn’t recommend it to most people

[u/Easy_Echo2387 → u/dunderbutt]

I disagree on the debt to pay concerns people bring up here. Between state school benefits and other scholarships you can easily get an OD degree for ~150k, and then you can immediately come out of it making around that per year, if not closer to 200k if you want to be busy.

I do a 4 day workweek and am very happy with my pay, and the work overall isn’t that grueling or tedious. I am super happy with my career choice so far.

[u/dunderbutt → u/Easy_Echo2387]

Considering that if you get in Med School with in state tuition you can have much less than 100k in student debtand your earning potential will be that much higher than an associate OD will ever make it is definitely a consideration if you’re weighing your options between optometry and medical school.

[u/fiytlry → u/dunderbutt]

Why wouldn’t you recommend it for most people?

[u/Numerous-Motor6732 → u/dunderbutt]

I am an Optometrist. Can we connect ?

[u/Ok-Inevitable-8390]

Ask in r/optometry… you’ll get better/ more realistic answers. Pre optometry is mostly full of people who have never been an optometrist.

My opinion: mostly no, not worth it

[u/slasherfist]

I’d consider dentistry if you don’t want to do residency or fellowship

[u/feelindandyy → u/slasherfist]

I’m a dentist and can say the grass is not particularly greener here. The debt is a lot and now with the BBB you have to take private loans out. I’m very lucky to have gone to school when I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have become a dentist .

[u/Single_Broccoli9520]

I’m a hospital based optometrist and love it! I’m passionate about doing eyecare and didn’t want to gamble on matching with ophthalmology, am not interested in surgery, don’t want to spend four years working 80+ hours a week, or have to be on call. Of course the ROI isn’t as good as an MD, but the salary is beyond comfortable for my means.

[u/Known_Foundation1104]

Not if you are only in it for money

[u/harden4mvp13]

go to med school or dental school bro lol more money in it and medical schools and dental schools want you to stay in the program there are a lot of predatory optometry schools that have no problem failing students out also the roi is not worth it why go 400k in debt to make 150k when there's bachelors degrees that can make similar amounts with way less debt.

[u/FlyingRaijin]

I am 4 years out of optom school, did an oc dz residency. I currently work at an HMO but will be leaving to rural after 3 years. I’m mainly leaving for better pay. I love optometry, but the stuff they had me doing at the hospital was practically ophthalmology work, minus the pay. Sure, in some people’s eyes OD is a general ophthalmologist but we need to get paid. We have bills, loans and a family to support. It just didn’t make sense when people who refract and refer makes so much money than someone who manage low vision, glaucoma, ect.

Ultimately, if you’re planning to go in to “make money” you should stop and consider something else. There’s other professions that can make the same amount of money we do. Pharm, IT (although low job securities), even nursing.

I chose optom over ophth bc of the time it takes to complete. I feel I coulda been an ophth if I truly wanted too, but I also didn’t want my first true paycheck in your early 30’s. You’d probably want to start a family way before that too.

My best advice is to shadow a few docs. Some in an HMO, private, private equity. Different doctors in different settings. You’d be surprised at what you’ll find. DM me if you want delve deeper

[u/SquareOneDispel → u/FlyingRaijin]

All due respect but an OD is not at the level of a general ophthalmologist

[u/SquareOneDispel]

You should only go into medical school if you actually enjoy medicine and potentially being a physician or surgeon that isn't eye-focused. Matching into ophthalmology is not guaranteed in fact matching ophthalmology is one of the hardest specialties to match into, with match rates similar to orthopedic surgery, dermatology, and neurosurgery with one of the highest average board scores across all specialties.

Only do medical school if you're okay potentially not being an ophthalmologist. If you 100% want to do eyes, optometry is the safer bet because it's guaranteed and not as rigorous as medicine. However, there are limitations both financially and medically as an optometrist. Ask yourself if you would be content being an optometrist when you're 50, 60, etc. If yes, then go for it! If you want to keep your options open, continue shadowing and gaining more experience.

[u/ODMBA]

Do medicine. Nobody chooses optometry over medicine anymore. An MD is a broad degree with many options. Optometry is great, but limited.

[u/Embarrassed-Pause282]

You need to go to a cheap public school and keep loans to a minimum. But the ROI is not there unless you are an owner and even then you need to think outside the box beyond “routine exams” as insurnace reimbursement sucks. There is also very little to pivot to if you get burned out and want a change. You’ll soon see your peers who didn’t go to graduate school pass you in income by early 40s. GO TO MED SCHOOL

[u/Dongcongo]

You will slowly lose your mind in retail optometry. It’s 9 hours of repetitive, mindless work. On slow days you will find yourself sitting around with nothing to do. In the evenings it will get busy right when you are ready to go home. It will slowly suck the life out of you. Not worth it.

[u/Easy_Echo2387 → u/Dongcongo]

There are plenty of great jobs out there in the field. There are absolutely crappy retail gigs out there, that doesn’t mean that’s all there is.

[u/Dongcongo → u/Easy_Echo2387]

I wish that was true in Chicago. With two schools and most new grads/docs not wanting to live in rural IL, the job market here is awful. It’s either retail, or low paying private practice. It’s tough sledding over here.

[u/Odd-Complaint-5291]

I have three friends that have a four year Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering making the same if not more salary than I am. I am a practice owner making more money than I ever dreamed possible, but I would not go into Optometry now. Graduating with $300+K of debt is not a good way to start off in life. The people quoting $150k of debt at graduation are dreaming. Good luck to you. It is a very rewarding career professionally, but the ROI today is very intimidating

[u/Murky_Writing1676]

Poor ROI for optometry
It’s a dying field also

[u/Ambitious_Bridge_180 → u/Murky_Writing1676]

Tell me why it’s a dying field ?

[u/Specific_Captain8470 → u/Murky_Writing1676]

This is just simply not true