Guide to Optometry Specialties and Benefits of Specialized Care

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Key Takeaways
- Optometry specialization can help build your brand, increase referrals, and encourage patient loyalty.
- Common vision care specialist areas include pediatrics, low vision, sports vision, and geriatric care.
- Most optometry subspecialties have a favorable job outlook for the near and distant future.
- An aging population and increased risk of ocular disease in the US create a demand for various types of optometrists.
Optometry is a diverse field that offers a range of specialties, each catering to specific patient needs. Specialized care in optometry enhances patient outcomes and boosts the reputation and growth of an optometry practice.
This guide explores various optometry specialties and the benefits of incorporating specialized care into your practice.
The Importance of Specialized Care in Optometry
Specialized optometry care can significantly improve patient treatment outcomes by providing tailored treatments for specific conditions. Specialized care helps build a strong brand, increase patient referrals, and foster patient loyalty.
With the growing demand for customized vision care solutions, incorporating specialized services can align your practice with patient expectations and enhance its reputation.
6 Common Optometry Specialties
1. Primary Care Optometry
- General practice is the most common optometry specialty.
- General practitioners provide comprehensive eye care, which includes vision testing, prescribing glasses and contact lenses, and diagnosing and treating various eye conditions.
Becoming a general practice optometrist requires 7-8 years of postsecondary education, including a bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Optometry (OD).
While primary care may not seem exciting, it’s a profitable business for those who don’t mind working outside of office hours.
A general practice optometrist can make a median salary of roughly $110,000 per year, depending on location and size of practice, without worrying about being called in for emergency surgery at all hours of the night.
2. Pediatric Optometry
- Pediatric optometrists focus on eye care for children, addressing issues such as amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), and refractive errors.
- Early detection and treatment of eye conditions in children can prevent long-term vision problems.
Pediatric care includes routine vision examinations, prescribing corrective lenses, and diagnosing and treating eye conditions specific to children.
The demand for pediatric optometrists is expected to grow due to increasing numbers of children with vision problems. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in four school-aged children has a vision problem that can’t be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
While many pediatricians perform basic eye exams in their offices, pediatric optometrists have additional training and education in performing child-friendly eye exams. They also better understand children’s visual development and how to treat vision problems specific to this age group.
A pediatric optometrist can earn a median salary of $150,000 per year, but this field requires additional education and training beyond four years of postsecondary education.
A pediatric optometrist typically completes a one- or two-year residency program after graduation.
3. Low Vision
- Low-vision specialists help patients with significant vision impairments that cannot be corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses.
- Provides tools and techniques to maximize remaining vision and improve quality of life.
Low-vision patients typically have symptoms such as loss of light sensitivity, loss of color vision, loss of visual field, or loss of contrast. These situations occur for several reasons, including congenital disabilities, aging, disease, or injury.
Low-vision optometrists use special devices and techniques to help their patients maximize their remaining vision. These may include magnifying glasses, telescopes, and other low-vision aids.
Low-vision optometry is a fairly niche market. There are only a few thousand low-vision optometrists in the United States, making it a smaller field than other optometric subspecialties.
The demand for low-vision optometry is expected to grow due to an aging population and an increase in chronic diseases that cause vision loss. The Occupational Outlook Handbook projects a 16% growth in this field from 2019 to 2029.
A low-vision optometrist can make a median salary of $165,000 per year but will need additional education and certification, such as a Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry or a low-vision certificate from the American Board of Optometry.
4. Sports Vision
- Sports and performance vision optometrists enhance visual skills for athletes, including hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and reaction time.
- Customized vision training programs can improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injuries.
Sports vision optometrists work with all types of athletes, from professional to amateur. They often work with team physicians and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive vision care for their patients.
Working in eye care for athletes requires specialized knowledge of traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions, and how to properly fit athletes for protective eyewear.
The demand for sports vision optometry is expected to grow due to an increase in the number of people participating in sports and the awareness of the importance of vision in athletics.
5. Geriatric Eye Care
- Geriatric and elderly eye care addresses age-related eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
- Early detection and management of these conditions can preserve vision and improve the quality of life for older adults.
Elderly eye care includes routine vision examinations, prescribing corrective lenses, and diagnosing and treating age-related eye conditions.
Geriatric eye care is a challenging field for many reasons, including the increased risk of eye disease in the later stages of life and the reduced ability to recover from these conditions. In addition, seniors are more likely to have chronic health conditions that can affect their vision.
Much like ocular disease specialists, the demand for geriatric optometry is expected to grow due to an aging population and an increase in chronic diseases that cause vision loss. The Occupational Outlook Handbook projects a 16% growth in this field from 2019 to 2029.
6. Ocular Disease
- Ocular disease specialists diagnose, treat, and manage eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
- Treating ocular disease requires additional training and often involves working closely with other healthcare professionals to manage systemic conditions affecting the eyes.
Ocular disease specialists require additional training beyond the standard four years of postsecondary education. After receiving their Doctor of Optometry degree, an ocular disease optometrist typically completes a one-year residency program.
The demand for ocular disease specialists is on the rise due to an aging population and the prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes. In the past 12 years, the United States has experienced a 25% increase in macular degeneration cases, a 19% increase in cataracts, and a 22% increase in glaucoma.
Because most ocular disease cases involve people over 40, being located near a retirement community or city with a large senior population gives the best chance for a successful vision care practice.
Depending on the size of their practice, an ocular disease optometrist can earn a median salary of $146,000 per year.
Emerging Specialties in Optometry
The field of optometry is continually evolving, with new focus areas emerging.
Future trends include genetic counseling, more complex surgical interventions, and telehealth. These advancements are poised to further enhance patient outcomes and solidify optometrists’ roles as essential players in the healthcare team.
- Neuro-Optometry focuses on vision problems related to neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and multiple sclerosis.
- Behavioral Optometry addresses how vision affects behavior and learning. Behavioral optometrists are often used to treat children with learning difficulties.
Benefits of Specialized Care
Incorporating specialized care into your practice can be a strategic decision.
Offering specialized eye care services demonstrates an awareness of your patients’ needs and establishes you as a practitioner who offers more than basic care.
Consider the following benefits of integrating full-scope care into your optometry practice:
- Improved Patient Outcomes
- Tailored treatments lead to better eye health management and more effective treatment results.
- Specialized care can address complex eye conditions more accurately and efficiently.
- Practice Growth and Reputation
- Offering specialized services can differentiate your practice from competitors.
- Increased patient satisfaction and loyalty can lead to higher revenue and practice growth.
- Enhanced Diagnostic and Treatment Capabilities
- Technology advancements like AI and smart contact lenses enable more accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.
- Specialized equipment and techniques can identify and manage complex eye conditions earlier.
- Meeting Patient Expectations
- Patients increasingly seek customized care that addresses their unique needs.
- Providing specialized services can attract a broader patient base and meet the growing demand for personalized eye care.
Financial Aspects of Specialized Care
- Before integrating specialized services into your practice, it is crucial to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis to ensure a profitable business decision.
- Include insurance considerations and patient affordability in your analysis.
By focusing on specific areas of eye care, you can attract a larger patient base and set your services apart from competitors.
Specialization can:
- Enhance market differentiation: Focusing on specialized segments of eye care can help your practice stand out in the competitive market. Offering services such as pediatric eye care allows you to tailor your marketing strategy to attract a dedicated patient demographic looking for expert care for their children’s vision needs.
- Build a distinctive brand: Specializing in a niche can give your practice a strong brand identity, making it more recognizable in the market and easier for people to remember. For example, becoming known for sports vision could turn your practice into the preferred choice for athletes, who link your services with the elite performance and acuity they need.
- Justify premium pricing: The expertise required for specialties like low vision enables your practice to offer services at a premium. This reflects the advanced skills and unique treatments you offer, boosting your bottom line.
- Increase referral potential: With a reputation for specialized care, your practice can become the preferred choice for referrals from general practitioners and other optometrists who seek the best care for their patients with specific needs.
- Encourage patient loyalty: Patients return to your practice when you offer specialized care for conditions like occupational vision because they value the tailored service and your special expertise.
Support Specialized Care with Your Optometry EHR
RevolutionEHR simplifies how you run your optometry practice, making it easy to provide specialized care. This cloud-based system puts all the vital tools right at your fingertips.
With RevConnect, the platform offers diagnostic tests designed for optometric specialties, which you can tailor to fit your exam templates.
RevolutionEHR’s adaptable design lets you easily access patient records on the go, whether working in nursing homes or providing in-home care.
Our all-in-one integrated practice management system helps you streamline everything from intake to billing to patient engagement, allowing you to focus on what matters most — caring for your patients.
Discover a new vision for your optometry practice with RevolutionEHR.