Top Medical Colleges in India
B.Sc. in Optometry
B. Sc. Optometry is an Undergraduate Program which deals with the examination, diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases and disorders of the visual system. It is a vision care science.
BSc Optometry is a branch of medicine which helps optometrists to treat patients to improve their sight. It can also define it as the science of eye equipment (including lenses and spectacles) which is imbued with the idea of improving the vision of the human eye and remove all kinds of obstacles of sight which an individual may experience. This is a dynamic and challenging career, which allows one to help people, achieve personal growth, community respect, job flexibility and financial success and offers virtually unlimited opportunities.
The program is envisaged to develop a multipurpose ophthalmic manpower at paramedical level. The training will enable a student to become a competent person in providing service as an Optician, Optometrist, Refractionist and Ophthalmic Assistant to the community in urban, semi-urban and rural settings in private, semi-Governmental and Governmental sectors.
Duration: 3 Years + One year internship
Scope and Career Options
Assist ophthalmologists in hospital clinic
Practice in optical establishments
Run optical shop
Have excellent job opportunities overseas.
Offer clinical services to multinationals dealing, with the manufacturing and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses and ophthalmic instruments.
Start manufacturing unit for optical lenses.
For those interested in higher studies can join for M.Sc and PhD programs and take up teaching Optometry as a carrier.
Who should do this Course?
Students wanting to pursue BSc (Optometry) need to finish 10+2 in science with, Chemistry, Physics, Biology /Mathematics and pass in English. They can join any of the top BSc Optometry Colleges in Bangalore. The length of the course is 4 years. The training given to students will help in building up their conceptual as well as analytical skills. The aspirants will also get technical knowledge to work in the eye care sector.
The 4 year course provides the aspirants with theoretical as well as practical knowledge and skills to become a professional optometrist. The profession involves much more than prescribing spectacles or contact lenses.
The first year course includes basic biochemistry and diet, Overall & Visual, Composition & Anatomy, Computer programming, bodily & Symmetrical Optics besides English and mathematics. In the second year the students are taught Optometric & Visual Optics, Microbiology, Pathology & Pharmacology, Optometric instruments, Clinics, CEVS & Ophthalmic Diseases, Medical Psychology besides communications and public relations.
The teaching in the third year includes Diminished Vision Aids & contact lens for Aged Optometry, Paediatric Optometry, Problematic vision & Improvements in Optometry Development, Systemic Diseases & Glaucoma, Hospitals & Specialties, Dispensing Optometry & Occupational Optometry, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Practice Management, Public Health, and Law & Optometry. The fourth year is internship.
Career opportunity after B.Sc Optometry
An optometrist tests the eyes for visual acuity and prescribes lenses for correction. They professionally handle eye testing equipment to check people’s vision and are capable of fabricating lenses when required and fitting them besides they also handle other aids for low vision for individual needs. Optometrists can help prevent blindness in people as they deal with refraction, eyewear, fitting of contact lenses, dealing with low vision and evaluating and referring to ophthalmology.
After qualifying from top BSc Optometry Colleges in Bangalore, optometrists work in optician’s outlets, eye hospitals and clinics or with multinational companies dealing with vision care. Best colleges in India, they can also specialize in vision disorders like colour blindness, squint and infractive errors in case of presbyopia. After gaining experience in private clinics and lens manufacturers they can start their own practice. It is known to be one of the top 10 income earning professions.
An optometrist is a health care provider and a medical professional who provides regular vision care besides eyeglasses and contacts. The internal and external structure of the eye is also examined by him. An optometrist can be a professor, private practitioner, vision consultant, trainee optometrist, and customer care associate and optometry researcher.
Top 10 Companies hiring after the course
After completing of the course the aspirants are hired by Vision Masters, Titan Company Ltd, Currae Eye-Care Hospital, Himalaya Optical, Lenskart Solutions Pvt Ltd, Lawrence and Mayo Pvt Ltd, Sarvodaya Hospital and Research Centre, Shalby Hospital, Optival Health Solutions Pvt Ltd, Gangar Opticians Pvt Ltd.
In conclusion the prospects for BSc Optometrist are very bright, with many of them being hired by eye clinics and hospitals.
To become an Optician what qualification is required?
You can enter in this field, just by doing diploma after high school. You can also pursue certificate and associate’s degree programs in opticianry that may be preferred by some employers & be licensed.
Those students have a diploma certificate; they can directly begin earning by working with an Ophthalmologist, an Eye Hospital, and an Optician or even start his own practice as an Optician.
Top colleges in India that offers education in Optometry
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
- Bharati Vidyapeeth University
- All India Management Association
- Government Medical College and Hospital, Surat
- Government Medical College, Nagpur
- Punjab Medical College, Amritsar
- Medical College, Patiala
- Birla Institute of Tech. Science, Pilani
What is the difference between Ophthalmologist, optometrist and Opticians?
In simple terms:
- Opticians are specialists who develop eye correcting contact lenses, eyeglasses, Ultraviolet ray protecting glasses/sunglasses as per the prescriptions of Ophthalmologist and Optometrists.
- Optometrist are practitioners for primary eye care and correction completely
- Ophthalmologist, certified by Optometry Council of India (OCI) as doctors who do diagnosis and treat patients with eye diseases, surgeries and overall eye care.
After completing BOPTM course, students are qualified to provide comprehensive care for the visual systems including vision, detection of eye diseases, prescribing eye correction options such as eye classes, contact lenses and low vision aids. However, they are not certified to carry out eye surgeries, but do diagnosis and refer patients to Ophthalmologists in case of serious eye diseases.
BOPTM Eligibility and Entrance Exams
To pursue the course in Optometry,
- Candidates must have completed their Class 10+2 level education from any state or national board of education
- They must have studied science subjects i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology
- Some of the medical and health science colleges, also mention minimum qualifying marks requirements and age limit i.e. they must have completed 17 years of age and must have obtained at least 50% marks in aggregate of all subjects at 10+2 level
Semester wise syllabus of BOPTM
FIRST SEMESTER
| THEORY | Professional Communication in English |
| Geometrical Optics (Optics I) | PRACTICAL |
| Physiology (General) | Physiology (General) |
| Anatomy (General) | Geometrical Optics-1 |
| Biochemistry (General and Ocular) | Anatomy |
SECOND SEMESTER
| THEORY | Computer Fundamentals & Programming |
| Physical Optics (Optics II) | PRACTICAL |
| Physiology (Ocular) | Physical Optics II |
| Anatomy (Ocular) | Anatomy (Ocular) |
| Environment & Ecology | Computer |
THIRD SEMESTER
| THEORY | Ophthalmic & Optical Instrumentation & Procedure |
| Visual Optics (Optics III) | PRACTICAL |
| Lighting & the Eye | Microbiology & Pathology |
| Medical pathology & Microbiology (General and Ocular) | Optical & Ophthalmic Instrumentation |
| Pharmacology | Lighting & the Eye |
FOURTH SEMESTER
| THEORY | Ophthalmic Lens & Dispensing Optics |
| Visual Optics (Optics IV) | PRACTICAL |
| Ophthalmic & Optical Instrumentation & Procedure II | Optics & Ophthalmic instrumentation II |
| Clinical Refraction I | Clinical Refraction Practical |
| Ocular Disease I (Anterior Segment Disease) | Ophthalmic Lens & Dispensing Optics Practical |
FIFTH SEMESTER
| THEORY | Low Vision Aids & Visual Rehabilitation |
| Binocular Vision & Ocular Motality | PRACTICAL |
| Contact Lens I | Contact Lens –I |
| Clinical Refraction II | Clinical Refraction II |
| Ocular Disease II (Posterior & Neuro-eye Disease) | Low Vision Aids & Visual Rehabilitation |
SIXTH SEMESTER
| THEORY | Professional Practice Management |
| Systemic Condition & the eye | Applied Optometry & Orthoptics |
| Public Health & Community Optometry | PRACTICAL |
| Biostatistics | Contact Lens-II |
| Contact Lens II | Applied Optometry & Orthoptics |
The name “Optometry” comes from the Greek words opsis that means “view” & metron that means “something used to measure”.
“Optometry is the healthcare profession of measuring vision prescribes and fit lenses to improve vision, and detecting & treat various eye diseases”
