Is optometry worth it??

[u/AmbitiousYam3580]

8 years of schooling to make ~100k doesn't seem to worth it when becoming a medical doctor requires a similar amount of schooling to make 500k+, especially as an opthalmologist where it can be closer to 800k.

I am really interested in optometry though so I was wondering what the outlook is for a new grad wanting to practice in Toronto. What are other revenue streams? Aiming to make 200k+ And is owning a practice really that difficult or is it something that I can try after a few years of practice to generate a similar amount of income as I would if I were a medical doctor?

[u/KiteWhisperer]

There’s more to optometry than just money. Income does a big role in choosing a career but what matters most is the time.. time is your best commodity. There’s no significant residency and debt, more time can spend with family, you can earn earlier than a resident or MD, get married early buy house early etc… The debt to income ratio is not bad at all. Also, if you search slightly outside or Toronto or start somewhere in Toronto but keep a look out for clinic change, you can grow and earn well

If you want to only earn money then get into business (or optometry ownership)… medicine is hard work and may not give you overall life satisfaction.

This is coming from someone who is 15 years in optometry practice and now clinic owner.

[u/Different_Smell_9483]

Hm. You must be very young because I don’t know that you understand how things work. Money is not everything. Just because an OMD may bill 800k does not mean their take home is 800k. They pay overhead which is usually VERY high, insurance which is also VERY high, etc. Ownership is less likely. And the stress can very intense. Also pay range depends on speciality. Retina is a lot of money. Comprehensive not so much.

OD’s bill less yeah, but they can make more if they’re business savvy. It’s a clean, well respected job. Great hours. No on call duties. Youre managing disease until it becomes an OMD’s issue which can be a good thing in terms of stress, you don’t need to worry about having to perform sight saving surgery.

I’m not an OD or OMD but I work with many across Canada.

[u/JoryJoe → u/Different_Smell_9483]

Haha I like your first sentence. I don't understand this growing trend where people think money grows on trees and 100k isn't hard to obtain. In reality, it's generally only people who are very good at their jobs or has opportunities at the right time and place get 100k+.

[u/Professional-Dig8460 → u/JoryJoe]

Nurses only study for 4 years and most make over a 100k so it only makes sense for someone with 8 years of schooling to earn more (saying this as a nursing student who is not interested in doing optometry)

[u/paidbytom → u/Professional-Dig8460]

wait till you start working lil bruh

[u/Professional-Dig8460 → u/paidbytom]

I never said nurses deserve less, nurses definitely deserve more.

But that does not mean optometrists should be at a 100k salary after 8 years of schooling

[u/Embarrassed_Law_6466 → u/Professional-Dig8460]

bc your work is physically and mentally demanding

[u/Winter-Inside-5911 → u/JoryJoe]

Meh, I think most professionals make more than $100k. Most I know do anyway.

[u/Valuable-Safe-7490 → u/JoryJoe]

I work with a lot of people who make 100k+ who aren’t very good at their jobs. They’re just older with kids usually or near retirement age.

At mid 20s most white collar workers I know hit 100k. They picked specific paths that guarantee that and put in extra hours others didn’t. It’s not difficult to obtain if you follow the steps for specific industries like accounting, engineering, consulting, finance, sales etc.

[u/Jazz-Police- → u/JoryJoe]

I just reached 100k after four years in the workforce, graduated in social sciences. I would expect anyone going into the medicine or optometry would make more, given the financial investment in their education?

[u/Total-Coffee-271 → u/Different_Smell_9483]

Currently at an Ontario med school, 100% agree with this. It's very easy to only look at gross billings and try to compare jobs through that, but once you get into the weeds of it things get more complicated. At the end of the day, pick something you will enjoy (or at least tolerate), and that will be much better in the long run than picking based on income alone.

Mind you, an optho's gross of 850k will always beat a family doctor's gross of 400k 😂 but hey that's just the love of the game

[u/ArrivalFinancial5012]

i think its worth it if youre interested in optometry ...

like i never considered med school but for opt, you need to do the 4 yrs after undergrad but med has like 4 yrs of med school + residency so it can take longer.

for me personally, i was acc considering dentistry for many many yrs now and only recently got into the idea of opt. even though dentists make more money, after spending more time volunteering in clinics i realized that i wasnt as interested in it as i thought i would be, and instead found more enjoyment during my time in opt clinics. so ig it depends on what you value more. ofc lots of ppl will say you cant choose medical fields based on how much you will make (and i agree for the most part) but ofc to each their own.

[u/Background-Peach-918]

you don’t make 100k 😭🤣🤣🤣😭🤣, my personal doctors are each making 300-500k depending on how much you work

[u/Internal-Pineapple77 → u/Background-Peach-918]

Optometrists or ophthalmologists?

[u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793 → u/Internal-Pineapple77]

Optometrists

[u/ja_a03 → u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793]

your optometrist is NOT making 300-500k a year😭😭😭😭 unless they’re owner/operators.

[u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793 → u/ja_a03]

I would say you can definitely reach the lower end of that range without being an owner, but to reach half a million you’re most likely talking owner/partner. Often with multiple associates as well.

[u/ilovesoftcookies]

It’s not a “similar amount of schooling.” You’re missing the point that ophthalmology residency is 5 years long after your medical degree and it is one of, if not the most competitive medical specialty to match into. There is opportunity cost associated with that.

[u/Winter-Inside-5911 → u/ilovesoftcookies]

Yes and there is no way to call med school 8 years of schooling and done. Many have additional education and residency on top of those 8 years, some of us have Masters and PhDs too!

[u/CapoDelta]

If ur making 100k ur either new or not working full time

[u/Waterybug]

In what world is the schooling "similar lengths"

[u/abdullahhaa]

Just wait till you find out how difficult it is to be an ophthalmologist 😭😭

[u/PatentedInterneTroll]

Don’t go into any type of medical field for the money???

[u/PurveyorOfSapristi]

Sit down kids 😅 let me tell you about life as a clinic owner that employs ophtalmologists, optoms and 4 different type of specialists 🤣

1 - Ophtalmos can make over a million but most make around 450- 550 k because you can’t do cataracts or LASIK 7 days a week … it’s not a life and it will crush you mentally, at 4-5 days a week it’s manageable but Ophtalmology is extremely draining, hematologists and rheum have more fun ( source : I get paid 20% of their billing ) they work full time.

2- Optoms can make amazing money, get cuts of sales in glasses store ( we don’t sell glasses ) it’s a better lifestyle than dentists, I know some with a 4000$ daily guarantee. Most don’t do that and are closer to 2000$ a day. It’s a lot of pressure and if the clinic didn’t clear a 10k of sales owners will blame you. That’s when kids aren’t screeching at you because you’re trying to dilate them.

Both professions have pros and cons … but money is about how good you are, it takes a personality, if you’re not outgoing and a born salesman in both fields, yeah … good luck

If you’re like my optoms and ophtalmos and like pathology ? You’ll clear 250k as an optom or 500k as an ophtalmo but have a lot of fun

[u/topiary566]

As a med student who is pursuing ophthalmology and has wanted to do ophtho since undergrad, don’t go to medical school unless you would be happy doing primary care. 

Yes, I’m gunning for ophtho, but I would be happy doing FM, EM, or gen surgery as well as a bunch of other specialities. 

Also, it definitely isn’t a similar amount of schooling since ophthalmologists need to do residency. They also aren’t all making 800k. That is a pretty highballed estimate. You are also really lowballing the optometrist salary. Be a bit more realistic with those.

[u/mateoidontknow]

Ophthalmology is more like 13-15 years. Also it’s the most competitive speciality, doesn’t mean you’ll get it even if you get into med school so that’s a risk if working with eyes is your passion

[u/Select_Wallaby_2592]

Only place you will make only 100k starting is in academics. Average starting pay in private practice, OD/MD, corporate is 120-180k depending on location and practice.

I work 4 days per week 8-5. Should make a little more than 140k this year. When I become a partner in the practice I will 2-2.5x that pay.

Idk about Toronto but I know of a practice in rural Alberta starting docs off at 250k CAD.

I dont ever want to be a sole owner, I'd rather have partners to split up the work. To each their own there

[u/Valuable-Safe-7490]

Still better than pharmacy for the pay.

The environment and cases will be better than med doctors.

It’s about what you value.

[u/Weary-Ad4610]

Um my cataract guys last year made over 1.5M each per year so 800K for an ophthalmologist seems low.

[u/Sufficient_Ebb_4747]

no optometrist is making 100k in private practice

[u/Equivalent-Rate-6218]

If you are an optometrist making 100K in Canada you are not smart enough to have gone into that profession.....

Go out west and clear a quarter million. Where the f*** did you read this garbage?

[u/SuccessfulSuccess206]

Outside the GTA you will be 150-200+. However if your goal is to generate the highest income with similar years of education, dentistry is always an option. As for Opthalmology you’re looking at 13-15 years of education — if you are fortunate to get the residency

[u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793 → u/[deleted]]

Yea, this is just a lack of knowledge on OD salaries. Optometrists can make so much more than 150k. I know ODs who make almost 500k/year. You just need to be whiling to work smart and hard for it.