What is Optometry?: Course Fees 2026, Subjects, Top Colleges, Admissions

Optometry course is a professional course in healthcare domain that deals with measuring vision, developing and studying lens types, and diagnosis and treatment of vision-related ailments, among others. Duration of undergraduate Optometry courses is four years and that of postgraduate level is two years. 

Optometry subjects involve both theoretical as well as practical lessons. An internship or training of six months to one year is also mandatory for successful completion of course. 

In Optometry Bachelor degree courses students learn about structure and function of eye and vision.

Optometry Bachelor degree curriculum includes a mix of theory and practical subjects. In Optometry Bachelor degree candidates learn how to do eye exam, measure vision and prescribe lenses.

Candidates can see the steps below -

• Make sure you meet the eligibility
• Apply online by filling up the form
• Take entrance exam
• Wait for the merit list and result
• If selected, attend the counselling session
• Get the documents verified and pay the fee to secure the seat
• Do internship
• Get license

To become an Optometrist, you can look for:

• You need to have 12th from Science Biology recommended) with at least aggregate marks of 50%.
• Then apply for B.Sc. Optometry. There are various B.Sc. Optometry colleges which conduct entrance exams also, in order to provide admission to candidates in B.Sc. Optometry course.
• After completing B.Sc., further you can Proceed with M.Sc. Optometry.
• Further you can Proceed with Doctorate in Optometry (OD).

Around 800+ Medical colleges in India provide full time MBBS courses out of which 153 are private, 89 are government and rest 8 are semi government. 

NEET, KEAM, Kerala NEET, MP NEET, AP NEET and Maharashtra NEET are popular exams for admission.

Some of best MBBS colleges in India are All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, Delhi, Christian Medical College, JIPMER Puducherry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, KGMU and many more. 

Candidates should know that best infrastructure among all Medical colleges in India is subjective and majorly depends on individual tastes and preferences.

But given below are some colleges that are often praised for their infrastructure -

Yes Optometry courses place a strong focus on practical training and hospital exposure. Students go through laboratory work, clinical postings and even hands-on sessions with diagnostic equipment.

Most colleges make it sure that hospital internships are there during final year, where students usually examine patients under some supervision.

This experience not only helps them apply theoretical knowledge in real scenarios but also build confidence in them and even develop essential skills in them that are required for careers as clinical optometrists or specialists.

Both courses include core subjects such as anatomy, optics and even ocular diseases. But there are also some key differences like BSc Optometry is more academically oriented which focuses more on Science and theory behind eye care.

But B.Optom is more about clinical practice and patient care with more structured hospital training. 

Optometry syllabus includes a balance between classroom learning as well as applied and practical training. In course, there are subjects like ocular physiology, contact lens technology and even optometric instruments that students study and also go through practical sessions.

Also clinical postings and internships in hospitals help them diagnose refractive errors, manage vision therapy and even assist in specialised eye care. 

BOptometry and BSc Optometry are two different courses that come under Optometry. Candidates can see table below to see comparison between two courses -

There are approximately 300+ colleges which have Nursing courses, out of which 30+ are government, 200+ private and 6 are public private. Choosing best colleges for Optometry education can be tough, specially when there are a lot of options in front of candidates. At this point it becomes very important to filter them out according to your liking, budget and career plan.

The affordable colleges offering Optometry courses are:

Candidates can see the way given below -

• Check which college has better tie up with hospital  

• Check records of placement

• Look at lab and other facilities

• Look at the quality of faculty

Career options in after Optometry is wide and in huge demand both in India and abroad. Optometrists can work as post-secondary teachers, occupational/industrial safety programs, consultants in eye care industry or do research in optometry colleges. Optometrists can also set up their own private clinics & work independently.

They can also choose a career in sports vision, public health and government service or community health centers. Regards.

No an optometrist is not an MBBS doctor or even graduate. Optometrists are professionals who have expertise in eye care services which includes eye exam, vision correction and even diagnosis and management of certain eye conditions. 

Yes in India optometrists have permission to use ‘Dr’ before their names. 

The Doctor of Optometry degree is a recognised degree in India and all those optometrists who have completed this degree have earned the right to use the title.

No in India individuals who have completed a BOptom course cannot use "Doctor" or prefix "Dr." before their names because they do not have the doctoral degree. 

So no, B Optom graduates cannot be called doctors.

Hi Satish,

Scope ranges from working in private clinics to government hospitals. Salary will depend on your profile and work experience but generally salary range stands somewhere between 12k to 15k. But if you are skilled enough you may earn more. Various career options include jobs in Eye Clinics,optical showroons, lens manufacturing firms, Eye Doctors, sales, teacher, optometrist etc. Hope it helps.

Hi Khushboo,

Optometrists working in government hospitals can start off with a decent pay package and those who opt for private clinics can negotiate for higher slabs. Apart from assisting ophthalmic doctors in government hospitals and private clinics an optometrist can find job opportunities in various areas. After few years of experience, they can start their own practice.

After completion of Master’s degree in Optometry, one can proceed for PhD and apply for a teaching job in any medical college. Since eye is one of most important human organs, optometrists can look forward to a career that offers enormous scope for growth and a wide range of options for practice in future. After all, it’s a career that helps you lead others from darkness to light, literally.

The kind of clinical exposure students get in top Optometry colleges are -

• Hands-on patient examination in eye hospitals

• Training in refraction, vision therapy, and contact lenses

• Exposure to advanced diagnostic tools

• Internships in multi-specialty hospitals and eye institutes

One of best courses that you can go for is Bachelor of Optometry that will give you a very detailed and in depth understanding of field by combining theory and practical training to handle real world scenarios related to eye care and vision needs. Top colleges also collaborate with eye care institutions to give you best possible facilities and cutting edge tools and technology.