Optometry

What Does an Optometrist Do?

• For an in-depth description, click here
• Along with regular eye examinations, optometrists may also:
  
  • Prescribe glasses and contact lenses
  • Rehabilitate the visually impaired
  • Diagnose and treat ocular diseases
  • Perform comprehensive examinations of both the internal and external structures of the eye
  • Evaluate patients’ vision and determine appropriate treatments
  • Treat clarity problems or eye diseases such as glaucoma and ulcers
  • Diagnose complications due to the aging process, accidents, or malfunction

How Can I Apply?

• There are only two optometry schools in Canada: Waterloo, and UdeM. There are also 20 schools in the states. For a complete list, click here. I'm just going to focus on Waterloo, since that is the only school in Ontario.
• Apply on OUAC
• Minimum university GPA of 75%
• Write the OAT and get a minimum of 300
• 2 confidential assessment forms: one has to be from an optometrist!
• Prerequisite requirements:
• 3 or more years of an undergrad in science
• 0.5 credits of English
• 0.5 credits of ethics
• 0.5 credits psychology
• 1.0 credits biology
• 0.5 credits microbiology
• 1.0 credits physiology
• 1.0 credits physics
• 0.5 credits statistics
• 0.5 credits calculus
• 0.5 credits biochemistry
• 0.5 credits organic chemistry
• 0.5 credits general chemistry
• Non-academic requirements:
• Academic awards
• Non-academic awards
• Work experience
• Volunteer experience
• Job shadowing or working with an optometrist
• Top-ranked candidates are interviewed

The OAT

• It's basically broken down into sections: natural science, physics, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning
• For a complete guide, click here