Optometry has a better job market than podiatry (what doesn't ?), but nothing like RN or PA. There are a couple states that are saturated and do their best to keep new practitioners away. It has much less income potential. It is one of the less stressful healthcare professions. Benefits and vacation etc are mediocre in most employment scenarios compared to hospitals etc, but again usually better than being a podiatry associate. Working Saturdays often and late one night during the week is not uncommon. You are kind of stuck doing better off than a typical podiatry associate, but less well off than almost any other podiatry employment or ownership situations. Lots of corporate employment, owners do usually do a bit better, but no where near the potential of podiatry ownerships…… no surgery center ownership, or as many shady ways to make money etc.
Not a bad profession, if you can keep debt low and go to a state supported school, but not all states even have schools and most graduate with a lot of debt. Very easy to wish you would had chosen a career with a better ROI in many cases also.
More are doing residencies (about 25% now) and working for ophthalmologists and the VA. Sort of like a much, much longer and much more expensive and no more lucrative way to become a “PA of the eye”. Some states do have a broader scope than others and a few are doing some laser surgery for a few conditions...."the TAR of the optometry profession".
