{"id":2426,"date":"2024-07-29T14:54:43","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T18:54:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.warbyparker.com\/learn\/?p=2426"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:12:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:12:39","slug":"optometrist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/optometrist","title":{"rendered":"What Is an Optometrist?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>An optometrist is a vision care professional who examines, diagnoses, and treats <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/eye-disorders-and-eye-diseases\">disorders and diseases of the eye<\/a>. Think of them as a \u201cprimary care\u201d provider for your eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, that\u2019s the nutshell answer. To give you an even better understanding of optometrists, this article will take a deeper dive. We\u2019ll explain the services an optometrist provides and when you should see one (as opposed to other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/optometrist-vs-ophthalmologist\">types of eye care providers<\/a>). We\u2019ll also discuss their education and background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is an Optometrist a Doctor?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, an optometrist holds a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree, so they can be referred to as an eye doctor. However, optometrists aren\u2019t <em>medical<\/em> doctors\u2014they don\u2019t have a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does an Optometrist Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Optometrists provide a wide range of services, which run the gamut from providing routine checkups to treating chronic conditions. The types of medications that optometrists can prescribe and the specific procedures they can perform vary from state to state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An optometrist\u2019s services can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Conducting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/what-to-expect-at-an-eye-exam\">comprehensive eye exams<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Performing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/contact-lens-exam\">contact lens exams<\/a> and fittings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diagnosing and managing eye conditions and abnormalities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prescribing corrective lenses (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/single-vision-lenses\">single-vision glasses<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/eyeglasses\/progressives\">readers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/progressives\">progressives<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/contacts\">contact lenses<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prescribing medications to treat ocular conditions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evaluating and monitoring secondary eye conditions associated with systemic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Providing pre- or post-operative care<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Providing vision therapy for binocular vision disorders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Performing in-office procedures (e.g., removing foreign bodies, epilating lashes, placing punctal plugs, draining <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/what-is-a-stye\">styes<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Counseling patients on general eye health<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><!-- .entry-content (split for inline block) -->\n\n<section class=\"wp-blocks__banner has-img white\">\n\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/smiling-optometrists-cta.jpg\" alt=\"Time for a checkup?\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-blocks__banner-img\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Time for a checkup?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<p>New symptoms or overdue for an exam? Our optometrists can help.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-blocks-banner__cta-links\" style=\"flex-wrap:wrap;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/appointments\/eye-exams\/booking\">Book an exam <svg id=\"aa495747-7767-4ea8-bc8e-3e09f9e2a480\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 5.5 9.5\"><path d=\"M5.49,4.61a.87.87,0,0,1,0,.32.73.73,0,0,1-.2.35l-4,4A.75.75,0,0,1,.22,8.22L3.69,4.75.22,1.28A.75.75,0,0,1,1.28.22l4,4A.75.75,0,0,1,5.49,4.61Z\" style=\"fill:#1050D0;fill-rule:evenodd\"\/><\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"entry-content\"><!-- (reopen for inline block) -->\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When To See an Optometrist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You should see an optometrist for all of your routine eye care needs, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/how-often-should-you-get-an-eye-exam\">annual eye examinations<\/a> and vision correction. They can diagnose, treat, and manage almost any eye-related condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a condition that requires further testing or surgical intervention, then you may be referred to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/ophthalmologist\">ophthalmologist<\/a> or specialist. But if you do end up needing a specialist referral, an optometrist is often the person who\u2019ll give it to you\u2014so, they\u2019re the first stop on the road to ocular health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How To Become an Optometrist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To become an optometrist, you have to obtain a Doctorate of Optometry (OD) degree. An OD degree requires four years of optometry graduate school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most students obtain a bachelor\u2019s degree before applying to optometry school, but some optometry schools only require a certain amount of undergraduate work. An entrance exam called the Optometry Admission Test, or OAT, is also required in order to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Optometry school entails both coursework and clinical rotations. During their training, student doctors become practiced at performing eye exams as well as diagnosing and treating ocular conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After earning their doctorate, some optometrists choose to continue their education with a residency or fellowship. These programs focus on specialties such as ocular disease, specialty contact lens fittings, and pediatrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before practicing, an optometrist must become licensed by passing the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exam. Some states require additional exams, such as local clinical or law tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once practicing, optometrists have to keep their license up to date with continuing education. An optometrist can choose to become board certified through the American Board of Optometry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Optometrist Is Your First Stop for Eye Care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The key takeaway? Just remember that for pretty much anything eye-related, your optometrist can be your trusted first stop. If you <em>do<\/em> need a specialist\u2019s help, your optometrist can point you in the right direction. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/appointments\/eye-exams\/booking\">Book an appointment today<\/a> to set up a time to talk to an optometrist near you.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An optometrist is a vision care professional who examines, diagnoses, and treats disorders and diseases of the eye. Think of them as a \u201cprimary care\u201d provider for your eyes. Well, that\u2019s the nutshell answer. To give you an even better understanding of optometrists, this article will take a deeper dive. We\u2019ll explain the services an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":2428,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eye-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is an Optometrist? | Warby Parker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Think of optometrists as go-to providers for all things eye care. Learn more about them and what they do.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/optometrist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is an Optometrist? | Warby Parker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Think of optometrists as go-to providers for all things eye care. Learn more about them and what they do.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/optometrist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Warby Parker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-29T18:54:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-02T07:12:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/optometrists-smiling.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"583\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"583\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Warby Parker Team\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Warby Parker Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is an Optometrist? | Warby Parker","description":"Think of optometrists as go-to providers for all things eye care. 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