I am an Optometrist, Ask me Anything.

[Discoste]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Bare minimum is 3.2 GPA to be considered, but if you kill the interview and have a good result on the Admissions test you can get in that way. Conversely i know of a few 4.0 GPAers that did not get in due to poor social/interview skills. It is a social profession where communication is very important.

I did my 4 year Optometry degree at the University of Waterloo.

What's the school atmosphere like there? Being one of the only optometry schools in Canada, I would think would be very competitive. I know several people that didn't apply to Waterloo and went to Illinois.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Glaucoma is 20x more likely in someone that has an immediate family member with it. Anyone that has Glaucoma in their family should be having yearly check ups.

My Dad developed glaucoma in his early thirties, hence my regular checks.. I always insist on it.

I miss my old optometrist.. she was smoking hot and flirty.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Undergraduate was at the University of Lethbridge. You need 3 to 4 years there of undergraduate science glasses to apply. You have to pass an interview process and write an admissions test.

.

So they make you wear glasses to see if you can prescribe glasses? Weird.

You really do have glasses on the mind don't you?

[albertGQ]

Who gets more chicks? Optometrists or dentists?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Discoste

What's the school atmosphere like there? Being one of the only optometry schools in Canada, I would think would be very competitive. I know several people that didn't apply to Waterloo and went to Illinois.

Competitive until you get in. After that you are all colleagues trying to get through it together.

US schools are easier to get into, but come with really high out of state tuition fees. Basically double the after school debt ( was 3.5x when I went through due to the exchange rate in 2002).

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Titan

So they make you wear glasses to see if you can prescribe glasses? Weird.

You really do have glasses on the mind don't you?

Eye do not.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Who gets more chicks? Optometrists or dentists?

Dentists. They make more.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Dentists. They're oral experts.

Fyp.

[Flamesoholic]

I have a 7 month old baby. When should he be booked for his first visit? Do you have any suggestions for someone living in the NW?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Flamesoholic

I have a 7 month old baby. When should he be booked for his first visit? Do you have any suggestions for someone living in the NW?

Anytime now. An exam would be very basic and would just be to rule out a lazy eye, an extremely high Rx or a congenital eye health problem. It would be covered by AHC as well.

http://www.eyedesigns.ca/index.html - This place will take care of you. All the doctors at this office are fantastic.

[justkidding]

Every now and then I get little waves in my vision. Lasts about 15 minutes and then goes away. What is that and should I worry about it? I had my eyes checked about 2 years ago but this started after that.

[grizz29]

Do chicks dig optometrists?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by justkidding

Every now and then I get little waves in my vision. Lasts about 15 minutes and then goes away. What is that and should I worry about it? I had my eyes checked about 2 years ago but this started after that.

Sounds like visual Aura to me related to an ocular migraine.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=visual...&client=safari

I would still go to your Optometrist though to rule out the small chance it is something else.

[albertGQ]

My brother is a pharmacist and they like to spell words that start with an "F" with a "Ph" instead. Do optometrists do anything nerdy like that?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by grizz29

Do chicks dig optometrists?

My wife digs one Optometrist. No comment past that.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

My brother is a pharmacist and they like to spell words that start with an "F" with a "Ph" instead. Do optometrists do anything nerdy like that?

Our Formal end of year party in Optometry school was called the Eye-Ball and our annual hockey tournament was called the Corneal Cup. Close enough ?

[Street Pharmacist]

What tear replacement drops should I recommend for dry eyes? Generally I find the patients balance between thick and thin, preservative our not, then pick Genteal or Refresh. Is there a better one? Anything to avoid?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

What tear replacement drops should I recommend for dry eyes? Generally I find the patients balance between thick and thin, preservative our not, then pick Genteal or Refresh. Is there a better one? Anything to avoid?

I like Systane for regular dry eye as it is designed to stay on the eye longest without blurring the vision. Systane balance is the best for lipid defiicient dry eye, which needs to be diagnosed by a doctor.

Genteal gel is my favorite for night time use, while the regular Genteal is great for people with hypersensitivities as the preservatives are designed to break down once the drop hits the eye.

For contacts Blink is the best. Most drops are not indicated for contact lens use.

Refresh is ok, but is older technology.

Avoid all clear eye and visine products. Many of them have Vasoconstrictors which get rid of the redness by constricting the blood vessels. Once the drop wears off the vessels redilate bringing blood back to the area. Sometimes the redness is worse than before using the drop. Think of holding a garden hose shut and then releasing it.

[missdpuck]

Perhaps this was asked before. If so, I aplogize.Is it possible for eyesight to change from day to day ? I sort mail, and some days everything's fine, other days some things seem blurry. I went for an eye exam 2 years ago and the doc said I had 20/20 vision but I should probably use reading glasses if my eyes get tired. I love vintage 50s cat eye glasses so I bought some from ebay. The bifocals are weird to get used to but the ones of lighter strength seem to be okay. Is there something that's worse than Presbyopia but not quite ready for regular glasses?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

Perhaps this was asked before. If so, I aplogize.Is it possible for eyesight to change from day to day ? I sort mail, and some days everything's fine, other days some things seem blurry. I went for an eye exam 2 years ago and the doc said I had 20/20 vision but I should probably use reading glasses if my eyes get tired. I love vintage 50s cat eye glasses so I bought some from ebay. The bifocals are weird to get used to but the ones of lighter strength seem to be okay. Is there something that's worse than Presbyopia but not quite ready for regular glasses?

Sounds like eyestrain to me. When you are tired or overworked your eyes do not function as well. You are in a stage called "emerging presbyopia" where sometimes it is an issue, while other times it is not. However, do not worry as soon it will be a constant problem and you will rely on glasses more.

Fluctuating vision before and after eating, or from day to day, may indicate blood sugar problem. However, it does not sound like that is the case for you. I added this last statement for the general CP audience.