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About Bachelor of Optometry

There are several Healthcare courses that a person can pursue at the undergraduate level, among which includes, Bachelor of Optometry or B.Optom. This is offered as a 4-year undergraduate course in medical and healthcare colleges across India. Optometrists are primary health care practitioners of the eye and visual system who provide comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection/diagnosis and co-management of disease in the eye and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system.

The curriculum of B.Optom in India has been designed to train and qualify the students in the aspects of refractive conditions of the human eye, visual aids, cure diseases and abnormalities of the human eye and other services.

The course comprises three years of education and one year of internship in order to provide students with practical knowledge in this field. Through this course, students learn about the different processes that comprise the vision and optical systems. It also comprises information that is essential to understand the manufacturing and production of optical aid such as contact lenses, spectacles, etc. Those who successfully complete this course are eligible to diagnose diseases related to eyes and vision.

B.Optom Course Highlights

Here are the major B.Optom Course Highlights.

Name of Course	Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom)
Level	Undergraduate
Duration	4 Years (Including 1 Year of Clinical Training/ Internship)
Course Mode	Full Time
Exam Type	Semester
Academic Requirement	10+2 Science
Aggregate Score Requirement	50% or More
Subject Preference	Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Mathematics
Admission / Selection Process	Entrance / Merit-Based
Average Course Fee	INR 55,000
Average Initial Salary	INR 3,60,000 LPA
Areas of Employment	Govt/Pvt Optometry Clinics, Hospitals, Orthoptic Optic Manufacturing Stations, etc.

Bachelor of Optometry Eligibility Criteria

• Minimum Qualification Required: 10+2 (Chemistry, Biology & Physics)
• Minimum Marks Required (Aggregate): 45%
• Minimum Age Requirement: 17 years or more

B.Optom Admission Process

There are several methods of admission processes that are opted by colleges and universities across India. Among the popular methods include entrance-based and merit-based admissions processes. These are commonly accepted and practised admission processes for B.Optom in India. Here are the steps for B.Optom admission processes in India.

Entrance-Based Admissions

• Candidates will be called to participate in a University-level entrance exam for admissions to B.Optom courses.
  • Most universities and colleges will conduct their own entrance exams, however, there are few state departments that conduct entrance exams for Allied Health Science and Healthcare courses. Therefore, aspirants are advised to check the admission and eligibility criteria prior to applying for admissions.
• After attempting the entrance exam, the universities/colleges will release merit lists containing the names of all candidates, in the order of their ranks or scores.
• Based on the scores or ranks secured by the candidates, the candidates will be called for further selection processes, which may include, Personal Interview and/or group discussions.
• Depending on the overall performance of the candidates in the entrance test and the personal interview and/or group discussion, the universities will offer admissions to the prospective candidates.

Admission to Bachelor of Optometry Programme is done on the basis of national level entrance exams. Colleges offering this course shortlist students on the basis of their score in these exams. Following are some popular exams for admission in B.OPTO course:

• EYECET
• AIIMS Exam
• JNU Entrance Exam
• DU Entrance Test
• CMC

Merit-Based Admissions

• After applying, based on the admission guidelines of the respective colleges, candidates will be asked to participate in the selection processes.
• The selection of various colleges may include Personal Interviews and/or Group Discussion.
• Based on the overall performance of the candidate in the different selection parameters such as the past academic record and the performance in the personal interview and/or group discussion, the colleges/universities will offer admissions to the prospective candidates.

Counselling-Based Admissions

• A common selection process opted by colleges and universities across India is the counselling-based admissions. This mode of selection is usually opted by Universities with many affiliated or constituent institutions offering the same course.
  • This mode of selection can be found under both entrance-based admissions and merit-based admissions for B.Optom courses.
• The universities who have opted for the counselling based, they will release merit lists containing the name of the candidates in order to their merit, which will either be calculated using their scores in the qualifying exam or entrance test.
• Under counselling-based admissions, candidates will be asked to select and choose their preferred choice of course and college.
• Based on the performance of the candidates in the entrance exam/qualifying exam, their rank/score in the merit list, the preferred choice of college and course and availability of seats in the selected choices, the universities will offer admissions to the prospective candidate.

Note: Each college will specify its own admission processes and eligibility criteria for offering admissions to the Bachelor of Optometry course. Therefore, candidates must check out each individual college's admission guidelines prior to applying for admissions.

Bachelor of Optometry Syllabus

First Year:

Human Anatomy and Physiology	Ocular Anatomy and Physiology
Basic Biochemistry	Ophthalmic Optics
Physical Optics	Geometric Optics
Ocular Pharmacology	Ocular Microbiology

Second Year:

Optic Dispensation	Optometry Investigation
Diseases and Illnesses of the Eye	Visual Optics
Optometric Instruments	Clinical Examination for Visual Systems
Clinical and Advanced Refraction	Fundamentals of Computer

Third Year:

Contact Lenses	Eye and Nutrition
Public and Community Optometry	Geriatric Optometry
Diseases and Illness of the Eye	Binocular Vision Ocular Motility
Paediatric Ophthalmology	Mechanical Optics

Fourth Year:

Dedicated Solely for One-Year Internships

Bachelor of Optometry Career Options and Job Prospects

Candidates with a degree in Bachelor of Optometry Programme have a great scope on successful completion of their degree as Optometrist are constantly in demand. A large number of people need eye care including children, adults and the old. This course enables aspirants to cater to the needs of those who need vision and eye care. This is one field where private ventures flourish at an excellent rate.

There are several employment opportunities for B.Optom graduates in India, in both the private and government sector. Each sector and employment opportunity will offer different opportunities. Here are some of the B.Optom employment opportunities in India.

· Corporate sector

· Basic research and integrated professional areas

· Private practice

· Public health

· Industries/ companies

· Work for an optical chain or under an optical store

· Eye care hospitals & institutions

· Scientific research

· Education sector

Job Profiles After Completing a Bachelor of Optometry

Under any one of the areas of employment, candidates will be able to pursue a range of job profiles, unique to each company. Initially, the job profiles may be numbered, however, with experience and skills gained over the years, graduates will be able to pursue different job profiles. Following are some B. Optom job profiles that graduates can take up:

• Optometrist
• Optician
• Vision Care Associate
• Trainee Optometrist
• Optometry Researcher
• Vision Consultant
• Private Practitioner

Salary After Completing a Bachelor of Optometry

An optometrist can earn a monthly wage of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 40,000 at the beginning of their career. Experience and reputation are the two major factors that play an essential role in the career of an optometrist. A good reputation can get you more clients to look after. Graduates can also earn up to Rs. 5 lakh per annum, depending on their knowledge and the city they plan to work in. An experienced optometrist can also earn up to Rs. 10 lakh per year or more.

Higher Education After Completing a Bachelor of Optometry

Apart from pursuing a career right after graduating from the course, many graduates also opt for pursuing higher education after B.Optom. Pursuing higher education or Masters degree after Bachelor of Optometry will help in improving the career scope of the graduates. Some of the higher education prospects for B.Optom graduates include:

· Master of Optometry

· M.Sc in Optometry

· PD Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology

· MBA

· PGDM

As mentioned in the list above, graduates also have the option of pursuing courses in different disciplines such as MBA and PGDM. This is will help in improving the job prospects of the candidate and maybe open up opportunities for managerial positions later on life.