How to Become an Eye Doctor in Illinois

Eye doctors help people see clearly.

An eye doctor is known as an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Both optometrists and ophthalmologists diagnose and treat eye issues and diseases. The primary difference is that an ophthalmologist is an M.D. with a Doctor of Medicine degree, while optometrists are not. Ophthalmologists can perform eye surgery; optometrists cannot perform surgery, but they can provide pre- and post-surgical care. Individuals in Illinois who are interested in becoming optometrists should enjoy studying science and receive good grades, as admission to optometry school is competitive. One track for aspiring eye doctors in Illinois is to earn a bachelor's degree, get accepted to the Illinois College of Optometry and obtain licensure upon completing the program.

Instructions

1. Earn a bachelor's degree in biology or chemistry. Science plays a very important role in this field, and many optometry school applicants major in a science program as undergraduates.

2. Take the Optometry Admissions Test. Admissions to optometry school are very competitive; in fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that only one out of three applicants got accepted to an optometry school in 2007. The OAT consists of four tests: a survey of natural sciences including biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry; a reading comprehension test; a physics test; and a quantitative reasoning test.

3. Enroll in the Illinois College of Optometry, which has been accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association. ICO is the only accredited optometry college in Illinois. You can also enroll in a school outside of Illinois, though you need Illinois licensure to work in Illinois. ICO admission requirements include a grade of C or higher on prerequisite courses, including English composition/literature, college calculus, statistics, biology with laboratory, psychology, social science, microbiology or bacteriology and organic chemistry. Upon completion of the program, you will earn your Doctor of Optometry degree.

4. Consider a one-year clinical residency program. Postgraduate programs are available for those interested in obtaining advanced clinical competence in a particular area of optometry. Specialty areas include family practice optometry, geriatric optometry, pediatric optometry and vision therapy.

5. Pass the written National Board examination and the national, regional or Illinois state clinical examination for licensure. Illinois, like all other states and the District of Columbia, requires all optometrists to be licensed. All licensure applicants are required to have a Doctor of Optometry degree. These tests are often taken during the student's academic career. Illinois may also require students to pass an examination on relevant state laws.

6. Renew your license as necessary. Illinois and all other states require licenses to be renewed every one to three years, and continuing education classes are required.

Tips & Warnings

• Take the OAT test during your sophomore or junior year in college. This will allow you the opportunity to retake the test and raise your scores if needed.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Optometrists
• Illinois College of Optometry: History and Mission
• Illinois College of Optometry: Admissions Requirements
• Education Portal: Ophthalmologist: Employment Info and Requirements for Becoming an Ophthalmologist
• Health Communities: What Is an Optometrist?
• Eye Care America: What Is an Ophthalmologist?

Resources

• American Optometric Association: Accredited Programs