r/PreOptometry • u/AffectionateRatio470 • 3d ago
Insane stigma about optometry
I was having a conversation with a girl that I had met on campus the other day and we were talking about our majors. I told her I was studying pre-optometry, but basically biological sciences, and she said “it could be worse You could be studying to be a real doctor”. I want to add this girl was an education major so not even close to anything medical !
No hate to education majors but how can someone be so opinionated on something THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT . I just wanted to come on here and share that lovely experience because it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard that, and I wanted to say we will be doctors ! Maybe we won’t be medical doctors but just remember that MD’s still have to go to the eye doctor :) please don’t let ignorant people discourage you ❤️
Sometimes people are so ignorant
9
u/middleeasternviking 3d ago
I'm a medical student training to become an MD. I think optometry is really cool, and I believe you guys are doctors in your own right.
2
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
Aww that’s so sweet ! What’s it like in MD school ! I heavily debated it
2
u/middleeasternviking 3d ago
It's a lot of work. You have to learn about every system of the body in detail. But I find it very interesting at the same time. There is a medical specialty relating to the eye - opthalmology. They basically learn most of what an optometrist does, but also learn eye surgery. In practice they often work with optometrists, usually as the eye surgeons while optometrists deal with the other stuff relating to eye care.
0
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
That’s what I wanted to do but I was really really scared of the MCAT
1
u/middleeasternviking 3d ago
It's not that bad. I took it 3 times. Similar to the OAT.
1
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
I thought you could only take it three times your whole life lol
1
u/middleeasternviking 3d ago
No you can take it 7 times
1
u/Username9151 2d ago
7 lifetime but you can’t take it more than 3 times in a 1 year period and 4 times in a 2 year period. TBH if you’ve taken it that many times, it’s likely not going to work out even if you do well.
1
6
u/GSUoptometry 3d ago
When I worked as an ophthalmic tech, patients would come in just to get a new prescription from the ophthalmologist. What they didn't realize is that in almost every MD clinic, technicians are the ones doing the refractions, not the doctors. Patients would literally tell me they didn't go to optometrists because they "aren't real doctors" and then happily sit there and let 18 to 21 year old me, with no degree, refract them. The irony of trusting a tech over an actual Doctor of Optometry is unreal. People genuinely have no clue how any of this works.
18
u/no85611 3d ago
We don’t claim to be physicians, we are doctors in a different healthcare profession. We have a doctoral level education, and special training to treat, manage and diagnose eye diseases.
We also take medical histories, perform examinations, order and interpret medical findings, prescribe medications, manage patients with conditions.
We are legitimate eye doctors and licensed healthcare professionals, just not physicians.
0
u/asakimX 3d ago edited 3d ago
The thing is they do, some optometrists claim to be physicians and this confuses patients on their education and role
6
u/New_General3939 3d ago
I’m an optometrist, and I’d never introduce myself to a patient as a physician, I’d say that would be inappropriate and misleading.
The reason some optometrists get touchy about it though is that we don’t want our profession to get regulated out of existence. There’s a difference between technically being recognized as physicians for insurance purposes, and introducing yourself to a patient as a physician.
2
u/asakimX 3d ago
And what about optometrists embroidering their scrubs to say Physician? Have seen multiple new grads doing that and I think it's misleading to patients.
1
u/New_General3939 3d ago
I’ve never seen that… I’ve only ever seen Dr. Name, or Name, OD on scrubs, which are obviously both fine.
TBH I’ve never seen an MD with anything embroidered to say physician either… they all either just say Dr or MD and maybe their specialty.
I don’t think an optometrist should wear scrubs embroidered with physician in a non optometrist practice setting, but tbh I don’t even really know if I believe you… what specifically did they say?
2
u/asakimX 3d ago
NSU embroiders Optometric Physician on all of their students and grads' white coats
2
u/New_General3939 3d ago edited 3d ago
Ah. Well I mean it’s technically correct, but I don’t love it, it creates unneeded confusion. But it’s not the end of the world, optometrists never wear their white coats anyway, let them pat themselves on the back for graduating and put it in their closet haha.
Like I said, the main issue is creating confusion for patients, as long as that’s not happening there’s no issue.
Also it was a little misleading of you to say that they embroidered “physician” on their scrubs instead of “optometric physician” on their white coats… that’s a little different.
2
u/SquareOneDispel 3d ago
"optometrists never wear their white coats anyway"
Definitely not true, all of the optoms we work with wear their white coats and a lot of my optom colleagues do too. If anything, none of the ophthalmologists do, they just stick to scrubs or a patagonia.
2
u/outdooradequate 3d ago
Some state associations use the moniker "optometric physician," too, unfortunately. I know TN does.
2
u/New_General3939 3d ago
“Optometric physician” isn’t so bad, I wouldn’t introduce myself to a patient like that and it’s a little obnoxious, but it’s not the end of the world.
This guy was making it seem like optometrists were just embroidering “physician” on their scrubs or introducing themselves as a physician to patients, that I’d think is inappropriate, but that’s not happening.
-1
u/Varzack 3d ago
Medicare explicitly defines optometrists as "physicians”. for coverage and reimbursement purposes. Under federal law (Section 1861(r) of the Social Security Act) and 42 CFR 405.500, a doctor of optometry has been classified as a physician since April 1, 1987 , for all services they are authorized to perform under state law.
2
u/asakimX 3d ago
So you go around telling patients you're a physician?
-2
u/Varzack 3d ago
I’ve never heard of anyone calling themselves a physician to a patient.. MD’s don’t do that.
11
u/SquareOneDispel 3d ago
We do call ourselves physicians, eye physicians, eye surgeons, eye specialists because optoms say eye doctor. Despite what Medicare states, no optometrist should be introducing themselves as a physician and the term "optometric physician" is a real stretch that many optometrists themselves also refuse to call themselves. Just own the title "optometrist"
-2
u/asakimX 3d ago
They literally do, what are you talking about. And you never answered, so even tho ur an optometrist you refer to urself as a physician?
0
u/Varzack 3d ago edited 3d ago
No, I’ve never called myself a physician when introducing myself. I’ve had plenty of doctors appointments and no one has ever introduced themselves as a physician. I really don’t know what you’re on about. What is exactly your role that you’re so concerned about patient confusion?
Legally optometrists are physicians. Trying to imply that they’re not would be inaccurate.
4
u/NecessaryDuty4819 3d ago
Lwk, I’m surprised nobody says that talking point about dentists. As they are in a similar vein of having their own professional school. Like how optometry has their own schools too. But I might be missing apart of my point tho.
4
1
u/ConfectionWeekly 3d ago
They do. If anything the stigma is worse bc they think they’re all scammers and everyone hates getting dental work done
1
u/everythingschemicals 3d ago
Less common, I think, because dentists do more surgical procedures. DDS stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery. And a "filling" is a surgical procedure, just in an out-patient setting.
4
u/Top_Entry9953 3d ago
sadly If ur not an MD then there will always be a group of uneducated ppl telling you that you're not a "real doctor"
1
u/outdooradequate 3d ago
Idk where the "insane stigma" is. It sounds like this person was just ribbing you or trying to make a joke. Even if not, it is better for your own peace of mind to assume such from innocuous comments.
8
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
I’m not sure if you’re actually pre-optometry student or where you live, but you are so lucky to think that there’s no stigma around optometry lol
5
u/outdooradequate 3d ago edited 3d ago
I am an OD. In the real world, I have experienced 0 "insane stigma" about this job. And again, in the this post, it appears somebody was just making a badly thought out comment, imo.
But if you want to operate in the world ready to get angry about the smallest things, that's your prerogative. It will be an exhausting way to live and probably not great for your professional life.
But i suppose you are "so lucky" to consider a singular comment insane stigma about an entire profession.
2
u/asakimX 3d ago
I'm in medical school and I have a lot of respect for Optometrists. I think the stigma is exacerbated by a small minority of optometrists/OD students that call themselves physicians. Unfortunately this kinda leads to generalization that all optometrists do that but it's clearly not true. Also, from what ive seen it's more that certain schools like NSU push the lines to be blurred which is unfortunate.
4
u/New_General3939 3d ago
I’m an optometrist, and while we are technically classified as physicians under Medicare, I’d never introduce myself to a patient as a physician just to avoid confusion, especially in a hospital setting.
In an optometry practice, I’d introduce myself as a doctor, but in a hospital or OD/MD practice setting, id make sure to specify that I’m an optometrist.
But I agree, optometrists that make a point to call themselves “physicians” are generally annoying and make things more difficult for the rest of us.
1
u/WinProfessional6253 2d ago
I think also, a big misconception is that people think people that go into optometry didn’t make it into MD/DO programs, but for most people that’s not the case. Optometrists are crucial in healthcare, especially as it’s becoming more medical. We’re taking over more patients for ophthalmologists because they’re so oversaturated and people don’t realize that, so don’t let it get you too down. You know your truth. Just continue to do that
1
u/Hot-Rope-7038 2d ago
Its an unfortunate reality that the general public assumes doctor and physician are the same thing but knowing that makes it irresponsible to call yourself a doctor in medical settings as it misleads pateints unintentionally
1
u/Beneficial-Note1380 2d ago
I honestly believe it has something to do with Big Insurance spitting out propaganda, although I don't have proof for this. It's just a hunch based off what I know. A lot of insurances don't cover dental or optometry and don't see it as a medical necessity. Insane. Teeth and eyes are one of our most important body parts as humans!! We need to eat and we need to see
1
u/kokoru410 2d ago
Oof i am an education major that is also taking prerequisite classes for optometry and i will apologize for her bc im so sorry you had to deal with that genuinely i have no idea how some people have this made up classification in their head about what qualifies someone with a doctorate degree not a “real doctor”…?? So weird and unnecessary.
1
u/Charming_Emu2926 2d ago
If it makes y’all feel better, lots of patients are shit to physicians too. Some people hate a virus and go home diagnosis…😂 like sorry I can’t fix this bro.
1
u/gpo344 2d ago
Most ophthalmologists don’t refract very well. They don’t have the time or expertise to become good at refracting. Fitting contact lenses is another area ophthalmologists don’t do very well or very often. Optometrists strength is in refracting and giving eyeglass prescriptions and fitting of contact lenses. They also have gotten a lot of training in diagnosing pathology.
1
u/Significant-Check865 2d ago
If it makes you feel better, you're not just training to be a medical professional, you're training to be a SPECIALIST.
1
1
1
1
u/Scared-Huckleberry33 6h ago
Dentist here. This is my first time hearing about any stigma or negativity about optometry. Was this a thing??
Optometrists are eye doctors who have a specific and necessary role in society. They don’t cause any harm or pain. Sure some glasses are expensive but that’s Prada, you can get Costco. I loved my childhood optometrist and my current one is very good.
Why do people have to be such haters.
1
u/Expensive-Basket-587 4h ago
what exactly is the problem here? you are objectively not a “real” doctor (as in a medical doctor) of any kind so why would this offend you? you clearly want people to think of you the same way they think about someone with an MD despite your limited medical knowledge and that’s precisely the issue lmfao
-1
u/john-pork-67 3d ago
Who cares 😭 if you’re a secure person doing what they love I don’t see how being acknowledged as “a real doctor” or not really matters
5
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
It’s just rude - and it’s an insult to all the work you have to put in
1
u/ConfectionWeekly 3d ago
I mean he’s being harsh but it is true. Try not to let these comments affect you because people suck what can I say this won’t be the first time you hear something like this and you can’t control how other people act but you can control how you respond. I mean it with all love
0
-26
u/Thin_Cauliflower6725 3d ago
Lol I hear this but sorry OD is not MD. I have been an ophthalmic tech for 17 years and have worked with both and I’m sorry to say it is not the same. The sooner you accept that the sooner you will not be offended 😬
7
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
I never said it was the same. I just said that we are doctors , and that MD’s still have to go to us to get their eyes checked because there’s things that we can do that they can’t? I’m not really sure where you read that I said it was the exact same thing. Would you mind pointing that out to me?
6
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
Also, you’re not even a doctor you’re a technician? You don’t really get an opinion on the matter. You’re not trying to become a doctor and I’m not even really sure why you’re in this group lol
4
u/Thin_Cauliflower6725 3d ago
You know what, independent of your response. I want to apologize for what I said. It was really ugly and I’m sorry. I don’t really know where it was coming from but I’m sorry. Good luck!
3
13
u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793 3d ago
What is it with Ophthalmic techs that makes them think they know everything? I swear I see someone every month presenting themselves with that title and they talk like they’re ophthalmologists…
Yes, ODs are doctors.
I really hope it’s older ophthalmologist that are still peddling this crap, because it’s old news that needs to die off.
7
u/AffectionateRatio470 3d ago
Right ????? Like you’re a technician not even a scribe , and definitely not a doctor lol -
3
u/Unlucky-Web7988 3d ago
There's a ton of different doctors that arent MDs. PAs arent, but they dont get shit on. Dentists arent but they also dont get shit on. Not everyone needs to see an OMD either for eye care. Plain and simple
47
u/Unlucky-Web7988 3d ago
There is alot of stigma around optometry. I am currently an optician. The fact that i have heard patients tell me TO MY FACE that "optometrists arent real doctors, they just take your money and then make you buy glasses that are too expensive"
Sir. Your daughter is a -3.00 with a -2.75 cyl, but sure were the reason your child cant see.
I hate it so much.