B.Sc Optometry

B.Sc Optometry | Duration, Eligibility Criteria, Admission Process, Syllabus, Career Prospects

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B.Sc Optometry: B.Sc. Optometry program envisions to develop and train a versatile ophthalmic workforce at the paramedic level. The course program enables candidates to become competent Optician, Optometrist, Optical Analysts, Refractionist, or Optical Executives in rural, semi-urban, and urban community settings.

In this article, viewers will be provided with a brief about the B.Sc. Optometry program, such as Course Details, Admission process, Course duration, Eligibility criterion, Top Institutions, and Vocation possibilities.

About B.Sc Optometry Program

B.Sc. Optometry is a four-year-long undergraduate program for candidates interested in  Allied Health Sciences. The undergraduate program is a healthcare professional course that educates candidates on examining, diagnosing, treating, and managing virtually-aided disorders and diseases.

The B. Sc. Optometry course is a three-year academics and one-year internship program that educates candidates about the practicality and subject-wise knowledge in the vision-care science field.

Optometry is a vision-care science that offers a challenging and dynamic career that enables candidates to help people, achieve community respect, reach personal growth, manage financial success and job flexibility, and offer virtually unlimited opportunities.

B.Sc Optometry Course Details

Course B. Sc. Optometry
Course Level Undergraduate-level
Course Duration Four years with three-years academics + one-year internship
Age Limit The lower age limit is 17 years.
Eligibility Criteria 10+2 level of graduation secured from a recognized board with a minimum of 45 percent aggregate.
Placement Opportunities Government or Private Optometry clinics, Optic Manufacturing stations, Hospitals, and more.
Employment Roles Optician, Optometrist, Vision Consultant, Optometry Researcher, Private Practitioner, Trainee Optometrist, and more.
Average Salary Offered Rs. 5 Lakhs to Rs. 10 Lakhs per annum

Skillset Required for B.Sc Optometry

Candidates opting for the B. Sc. Optometry course must possess the following skillsets-

  • Great Patience
  • Self-Disciplines
  • Excellent Vision
  • Good Confidence levels
  • Dedicated and Hardworking
  • Inter-dependable skills
  • Compassionate and Empathetic
  • Excellent Mechanical Aptitude
  • Keen Observing

B.Sc Optometry Course Duration

The B. Sc. Optometry course is a four-year-long educational paramedical program. It is a three-year academics and one-year internship program. The three-year educational program is branched into six semesters that aims to cover optometry and its derivatives.

B.Sc Optometry Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria required to pursue a B. Sc. Optometry course is as follows:

  • Candidates must have completed the 10+2 level of graduation from the science stream (core subjects- Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) with a 45 percent aggregate secured from a recognized board.
  • Candidates must have completed 17 years of age or more.

B.Sc Optometry Admission Procedure

The Admission Protocol for B. Sc. Optometry occurs as an Entrance-based Admission process or a Merit-based Admission process. Certain colleges also opt for the Counselling-based Admission process. The Admission procedure is entirely dependent on the University or the Institution.

Get to Know More about other types of Course Details in Streamwise, and Category wise

Entrance-Based Admission Procedure

The Entrance-based Admission is based on University-level entrance examinations. Candidates must participate in the entrance examination for admissions to the B. Sc. Optometry course program.

  • Most institutions and universities conduct their entrance examinations. However, a few state departments administer an annual Entrance examination for B. Sc. Optometry or other paramedical courses.
  • After attempting the University-level entrance examination(s), the institutions or universities will release the Merit List. The Merit lists comprise the names of all the candidates according to their scores or ranks.
  • Depending on the overall scores or grades, candidates will qualify for the other admission processes like Group discussions or Personal Interview.
  • Based on the overall scores or ranks in the Entrance examinations, Personal Interview, and Group discussions, prospective candidates will be offered admissions at the University or Institution.
  • The Entrance-based admissions for B. Sc. Optometry depends on the National-level entrance tests.
  • Institutions and Universities release a shortlist comprising candidates’ names based on their comprehensive national-level examinations.
  • National-level entrance examinations for B. Sc. Optometry are-
    • AIIMS Exam
    • CMC
    • EYECET
    • JNU Entrance Examination
    • DU Entrance Test
    • BVP CET
    • Goa Common Entrance Test

Merit-based Admission Procedure

Merit-based admission follows the guidelines listed by the Institutions or Universities. Candidates must apply and participate in the selection processes. The selection process by various Universities or Institutions may consist of Group Discussions or Personal Interview.

Based on the candidates’ overall performance in the Merit-based selection parameters such as performance in the Group discussion or Personal Interview or the academic record, Universities or Institutions will offer admissions to the prospective candidates.

Counseling-based Admission Procedure

The counseling-based admission process is a standard selection process opted by most Institutions and Universities with affiliated or constituent institutions across India.

  • The mode of selection for B. Sc. Optometry counseling-based admission procedure is based on both merit-basis and entrance-based admissions.
  • Universities offer counseling-based admissions and release a merit list comprising candidates’ names, calculated based on their entrance tests or scores in the qualifying examination.
  • Candidates must choose their preferred universities or institutions.
  • Based on the candidate’s performance in the qualifying examination or the entrance test and the score or rank, candidates are given the preferred university or institution of choice. This condition is dependent on the availability of the seats for the prospective candidates.

B.Sc Optometry Fee Structure

The fee structure for the B. Sc. Optometry differs from one institution to another. Candidates seeking admissions at governmental institutions are required to pay a lesser amount to that of private institutions.

The average fee structure for the B. Sc. Optometry course varies between Rs. 3000/- per annum to Rs. 1 Lakhs per annum.

B.Sc Optometry Course Program Syllabus

The course curriculum for B.Sc. Optometry is branched into six semester-wise breakups as tabulated below:

Semester I Semester II
Clinical Psychology Geriatric Optometry and Pediatric Optometry
Computer Basics General Biochemistry and  Ocular Biochemistry
Community and Occupational Optometry Functional English and Communication
Basic Accountancy Contact Lens

 

Semester III Semester IV
Geometrical Optics Nutrition
Hospital Procedures Low Vision Aids
General Anatomy and Ocular Anatomy Law and Optometry
General Physiology and Ocular Physiology Mathematics

 

Semester V Semester VI
Optometric Instruments and Clinical Examination of Visual System Squint and Binocular Vision
Microbiology and Pathology Physical Optics
Optometric and Dispensing Optics Public Relations
Pharmacology Visual Optics
Ocular Diseases and Eye and Systemic Diseases Research Methodology and Statistics

B.Sc Optometry Internship

B.Sc. Optometry offers a one-year internship program that comprises of the following curriculum

  • General Outpatient Department( Anterior Segment)
  • Pediatric Optometry
  • Internship I and II in Speciality
  • Contact Lenses
  • Low Vision and Rehabilitation
  • Posterior Segment
  • Investigative Optometry

B.Sc Optometry

Top Institutions Offering B.Sc Optometry

A few of the top institutions offering B. Sc. Optometry and each of the institutions’ city are as follows:

Institution Location
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi
Lotus College of Optometry Mumbai
Elite School of Optometry (ESO) Chennai
Bharati Vidyapeeth University School of Optometry Pune
Sri Prakash Institute of Optometry (Dr.Agarwal’s Eye Hospital) (Affiliated to Alagappa University) Chennai
Vidyasagar College of Optometry & Vision Science Kolkata
Aditya Jyot Institute of Optometry Mumbai
Bausch & Lomb School of Optometry Hyderabad
College of Optometry and Ophthalmic Sciences Nasik
Manipal College of Allied Health Sciences Karnataka

B.Sc Optometry Career Prospects

B.Sc. Optometry offers a great career scope for graduates as Optometry is an on-demand profession in several paramedical fields. B.Sc. Optometry graduates hold great employment opportunities in Indian both at private and governmental institutions.

Employment Areas

Upon the completion of B.Sc. Optometry graduates find placements in both non-traditional and traditional areas of employment such as-

  • Government Hospitals
  • Private Hospitals
  • Optical and Contact lens industries
  • Government Clinics
  • Private Clinics
  • Optometry Laboratories
  • NGOs
  • Optic Manufacturing Sectors
  • Tertiary eye care Hospitals

Do Read:

Job Profiles Under B.Sc Optometry

Graduates can pursue multiple job profiles depending on the company or institution. Initially, the job profiles are numbered, but, with time and experience, graduates can take up different job profiles.

  • Optometrist
  • Vision Care Associate
  • Optician
  • Vision Consultant
  • Optometry Researcher
  • Trainee Optometrist
  • Private Practitioner

Top Recruiters of B.Sc Optometry

Multiple institutions and companies recruit graduates from the field of paramedics, especially graduates who have completed a B.Sc. Optometry.

  • Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals
  • Medanta Hospitals
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences
  • Jaypee Hospital
  • Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
  • Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

Salary Prospects Under B.Sc Optometry

A fresher in the field of Optometry can earn a wage of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 40,000 per month at the inception of their career. With time, experience, and reputation, an optometrist can earn an average of  Rs. 5 Lakhs to Rs. 10 Lakhs per annum.

FAQ’s on B.Sc. Optometry

Question 1.
What is the difference between Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Opticians?

Answer:
Optometrists are entirely focused on primary eye care and corrections, while Ophthalmologists are certified doctors who diagnose and treat people suffering from eye diseases and perform surgeries. Opticians are specialists who develop visual-opticals as prescribed by Ophthalmologists and Optometrists.

Question 2.
Can I pursue Medicine after completing B.Sc Optometry?

Answer:
Yes, candidates are eligible to pursue Medicine (MBBS) after completing B.Sc. Optometry. Candidates need to hold a 50 percent average in their graduation with PCB as their core subjects.

Question 3.
Name a few Entrance examinations for B.Sc. Optometry?

Answer:
A few National-level entrance examinations for B. Sc. Optometry are- AIIMS Exam, EYECET, CMC, DU Entrance Test, JNU Entrance Examination, BVP CET, and Goa Common Entrance Test

Question 4.
What is the salary package for B.Sc Optometry graduates?

Answer:
A fresher in the field of Optometry can earn a wage of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 40,000 per month at the inception of their career. With time, experience, and reputation, an optometrist can earn an average of Rs. 5 Lakhs to Rs. 10 Lakhs per annum.

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