Pre-Optometry Advising

While USD does not have an optometry school or specific major, students are encouraged to choose a major that offers the following courses:

Typical* required courses

• General Biology – Bio 240, 240L, 242, 242L or Bio 221, 221L, 225, 225L
• General Chemistry – Chem 151, 151L, 152, 152L
• Organic Chemistry – Chem 301, 301L
• General Physics – Phys 136, 136L, 137, 137L or Phys 270, 270L, 271, 271L
• English – FYW 150 + Upper Division Writing "W" course
• Calculus – Math 150
• Statistics – Math 120, Psych 260 or Bio 301
• Biochemistry – Chem 331
• Microbiology – Bio 214 or Bio 342
• Psychology – Psych 101
• Human Anatomy and Physiology – Bio 212, 213

*These courses will satisfy the requirements for most optometry schools. Make sure that you check for additional requirements at your selected schools. Most schools want you to have completed the required courses prior to the time of application. Take all required classes for a grade; pass/fail is not acceptable. Grades below a "C" are not considered passing for most medical schools. Also, note that some schools will not accept AP credit in lieu of the required courses (even if accepted by USD). You must then substitute advanced science courses for the traditional requirements satisfied with AP credits.

Some schools recommend

• 1 semester of Immunology – Bio 484

Other application information

• OAT (Optometry Admissions Test): The OAT is a standardized exam which pre-optometry students must take. The test is given two times a year at established testing centers. It is designed to measure general academic ability and scientific knowledge. The entire test requires one half day for administration. The examinations included are: Survey of Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry; Reading Comprehension (Organic Chemistry and Basic Sciences); Quantitative ability (Math); Physics (standard topics covered in a first year physics course).
• Clinical: Experiences in optometry settings are important ways for you to learn about the field. A letter of recommendation from an optometrist is recommended.
• Community Service/Leadership: There are many opportunities on and off campus to become involved. It's always best to find something that you're very interested in and become involved in it over time.

Optometrists, also known as doctors of optometry or ODs, are the main providers of vision care. They examine people's eyes to diagnose vision problems, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness and they test patients' depth and color perception and ability to focus and coordinate the eyes. Optometrists may prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses or they may provide other treatments, such as vision therapy or low-vision rehabilitation.

Optometrists also test for glaucoma and other eye diseases and diagnose conditions caused by systemic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, referring patients to other health practitioners as needed. They prescribe medication to treat vision problems or eye diseases and some provide preoperative and postoperative care to cataract patients, as well as to patients who have had corrective laser surgery. Like other physicians, optometrists encourage preventative measures by promoting nutrition and hygiene education to their patients to minimize the risk of eye disease.

Although most work in a general practice as a primary care optometrist, some optometrists prefer to specialize in a particular field, such as contact lenses, geriatrics, pediatrics or vision therapy. As a result, an increasing number of optometrists are forming group practices in which each group member specializes in a specific area while still remaining a full scope practitioner. For example, an expert in low-vision rehabilitation may help legally blind patients by custom fitting them with a magnifying device that will enable them to read. Some may specialize in occupational vision, developing ways to protect workers' eyes from on-the-job strain or injury. Others may focus on sports vision, head trauma or ocular disease and special testing. A few optometrists teach optometry, perform research or consult.

Most optometrists are private practitioners who also handle the business aspects of running an office, such as developing a patient base, hiring employees, keeping paper and electronic records and ordering equipment and supplies. Optometrists who operate franchise optical stores also may have some of these duties.

Optometrists should not be confused with ophthalmologists or dispensing opticians. Ophthalmologists are physicians who perform eye surgery, as well as diagnose and treat eye diseases and injuries. Like optometrists, they also examine eyes and prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses. Dispensing opticians fit and adjust eyeglasses and, in some States, may fit contact lenses according to prescriptions written by ophthalmologists or optometrists.