How to become an Optometrist
Also called: Oculist, Orthoptics specialist, Orthoptist, Oculist, Orthoptist
Optometrist provides diagnosis, management and treatment services for disorders of the eyes and visual system. He/she counsels on eye care and prescribes optical aids or other therapies for visual disturbance. He/she advises on visual health matters such as contact lens care, vision care for the elderly, optics, visual ergonomics and occupational and industrial eye safety.
Main tasks
- Examining patients’ eyes and setting tests to determine the nature and extent of vision problems and abnormalities
- Assessing ocular health and visual function by measuring visual acuity and refractive error, and testing the function of visual pathways, visual fields, eye movements, freedom of vision and intraocular pressure, and performing other tests using special eye test equipment
- Detecting, diagnosing and managing eye disease, and prescribing medications for the treatment of eye disease
- Consulting with and referring patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary
- Diagnosing eye movement disorders and defects of binocular function
- Prescribing lenses, contact lenses and low vision aids and checking suitability and comfort
- Prescribing exercises to coordinate movement and focusing of eyes
- Managing programmes for eye movement disorders, and instructing and counselling patients in the use of corrective techniques and eye exercises
How to become one
Optometrists are required to register with the Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB) or its equivalent in order to practise in Singapore.
Ways in
- University: Allied Health degrees, Offered by 1 universities in Singapore
- Licence or registration: Optometrists and opticians who serve the public must be registered with the Optometrists and Opticians Board and hold a valid practising certificate. Law: Optometrists and Opticians Act 2007. Regulator: Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB) (https://www.oob.gov.sg).
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $62,892 a year. The middle half earn $52,104 to $74,292 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- General dental practitioner
- Specialised dentist
- Pharmacist (patient care)
- Occupational health and safety professional
- Environmental officer (public health)
- Physiotherapist
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Optometrist?
Optometrists are required to register with the Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB) or its equivalent in order to practise in Singapore.
How much does an Optometrist earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $62,892 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $52,104 to $74,292.
Will AI change the work of an Optometrist?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat): Singapore Standard Occupational Classification (SSOC) 2024 (SSOC 2024 (definitions and index updated 2026-06-24)), Singapore Open Data Licence, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026