Optomatologist Personal Statement

What began as mere admiration for my childhood optometrist quickly evolved into a fervent aspiration when I began working as an optometric technician at Eye & Vision Care. Having been myopic since the age of 6, I have always had an interest in the inner workings of the eye and decided to apply to this job, without any concrete career plans in mind.

When I began medical school, I wasn't sure which field of medicine I would be most interested in pursuing. Now that I have explored the range of possibilities through preceptorships, research, personal and clinical experiences, I have discovered that ophthalmology contains all of the elements of medical care that I have enjoyed during my training.

An eager interest in the workings and anatomy of the eye has stemmed my interest towards a career in optometry. My fondness for science came from reading the book ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife for His Hat', which recounts the case histories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological disorders, this drove my passion past the scope of the curriculum, engaging with ideas independently to follow a career in optometry.

My interest in the anatomy of the eye began when I was a small child. I was 8 years old when my father experienced retinal detachment in the first eye. I didn’t understand a whole lot of what was happening when my brother and I were whisked up and on a plane to a hospital in Portland for surgery. During the long wait, my mother began describing what was happening in my father’s eye. I remember sitting and

Over time it became clear that I did not dread the appointments at the Oregon Health and Science University hospital which specialized in eye care. The building looked out on a tree lined street that was like a painting in the fall as kids with the same eye problems sat in the waiting room. My charismatic, kind, surgeon, Doctor Stout, answered inquiries and interpreted complex terminology patiently, pun intended, while the anesthesiologist made me laugh. In essence, I felt at home. Considering myself someone with an “elderly” issue quickly shifted and sparked a new ambition in me to explore a career the medical

My inspiration for wanting to become an optometrist was jump-started by my aunt Rosemary. My aunt suffers from dry macular degeneration, and she first started losing her eyesight when I was about five years old. I have always been close to her, and I have seen her vision deteriorate. Today she can see peripherally. I have watched as she lost her driving privileges and was forced into an early retirement. I always viewed my aunt's condition without an appreciation of how lucky I truly was to have normal vision. However, In the summer of 2002 I visited an optometrist for the first time. Since that first visit to the optometrist 13 years ago, my eyesight has drastically deteriorated. I currently have a correction factor of -7.25 in my right eye, and a correction factor of -8.0 in my left eye. My vision has stabilized, but my high correction power, coupled with observing my aunt's macular degeneration, allowed me to understand that the gift of vision may not be an everlasting gift. I want to do my best to help people make the best of what may not be an enduring attribute of their lives.

Optometry is the perfect fit that blends my professional goals, my interests in science, and healthcare with individual strengths of compassion, relational service, and leadership. It is affirming when passion meets purpose, and for me, the optometry profession is just that. My passion in life is to serve others and to improve their health and well-being, while my purpose is to reach my full potential as a medical provider. My inspiration to pursue a career in optometry arises from a combination of my natural strengths, my life experiences, and my triumphs over life’s hardships.

Please describe what inspires your decision for becoming an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career goals. Your essay should be limited to 4500 characters.

What drew me to the field of optometry specifically is the fact that our eyes can be considered one of our most precious gifts. Growing up my siblings always needed some sort of corrective lenses, leaving me in the dark so to speak. When I was younger I suffered a corneal

I had noticed that her eye moved a little slower and reflected light differently, so, consumed by curiosity, I let her continue. “When I was about four years old,” Annabelle elaborated, “I had cancer called Retinoblastoma and had surgery to remove my eye.” I was stunned; we had known each other for over a year and never had she indicated that she could only see with one eye. Fascinated by her resilience and inspired by her continually positive attitude, Annabelle marked the beginning of my decision to become a Pediatric

I have recently began to shadow Dr. Richards, an ophthalmologist. I have always had an interest in medical care relating to the eyes since I have developed a good relationship with my employer, Dr. Thomas.

Vision may impact on a child’s life when they are going though their development but not much as they could wear Glasses or contacts and the only time it would cases a problem is if the child brakes, looses, forgets to bring them with the child or forgets to puts them in their eyes.

Primary eye care in the U.S. is a huge industry because there is an overwhelming amount of people that demand Optometrists. The demand for Optometrists is at an ultimate high, according to the American Optometric Association, employment will grow at a rate of 33% and is ranked #12 on the list of America’s top 100 jobs. In 2012 there were 40,000 Optometrists and 202 million people in need of vision correction. There is currently one licensed eye professional per 3,500 people and studies show that on average Optometrists see 19.8 additional patients per week if they are completely booked without adding hours to their practice. This means that Optometrists are doing a lot more than they can actually handle. Over the next decade the amount of patients will continue to increase especially through the elderly and those at risk for Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes “is the leading cause of new cases of blindness” and 2000 to 2050 there will be a 165% increase of people diagnosed with diabetes, so Diabetes will be another main reason for the demand of Optometry (Review of Optometry). The ratio between patients and Optometrist care providers are almost quadruple the amount. Vision Web shares that “over the past decade, as the U.S. population expanded 0.9 percent annually, the vision correction population grew at the same rate” (10). This means that as the population continues to grow, so does the demand for Optometry. The demand for Optometry continues to grow and the only way we can manage the amount of people demanding eye care is increasing the availability of doctors throughout the country. We can start doing this by making sure more Optometry schools are available within the medical field. Gonzaga should have an Optometry Program because of its location, Washington needs an Optometry program, and the demand for it will continue to go on a rise. The lack of Optometrists needs to resolved by adding a new

“Eyes are like a telescope; you can see images that you could never imagine with the power of eyesight all you’ll be able to see is darkness.” This is why you should become an optometrist assistant so no one would ever see the darkness. You can help others with their problem of not being able to see clearly. Optometrist assistants are given the opportunity to help people see unbelievable images. They are under the supervision of an optometrist, along with some guidance.

Before starting career education, I had tried to give little thought towards what career I want to pursue in the very near future. After a few weeks of surveys and self evaluation, I have come up with three ideas of what I would like to do after high school. I am considering becoming an optometrist, veterinarian, or a registered nurse. To determine these three options, I took the following tests: personality, multiple intelligence, aptitude, and career. On top of this, I also used Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to figure out which jobs best fit my needs and the ones I chose do that very well. The needs that they fulfill are a steady income, insurance, a sense of belongingness at work, recognition for my work, and feeling happy and proud of my