A Career In Optometry Will Will Help Me Make A Difference To The Lives Of The Future
My preference to study Optometry evolved from my passion for science and devotion to help others. Optometrists can make a massive difference to people's lives, their ability and knowledge helps to improve vision and diagnose a range of eye conditions which has motivated me to take on this opportunity to study optometry and become a qualified optometrist.
Optometry itself has appealed to me in many ways as a subject, but the most interesting thing about this subject is the depth of knowledge of the eye. Studying A levels in biology and psychology has provided me with a fantastic insight of the eye and the important structures, which has made me feel blessed to have perfect vision and is another reason why I want to take on this role and serve others with not so perfect vision in the best possible way. Optometry has always been an appealing subject to me which is why I decided gain experience in this field. I was fortunate to carry out work experience at the eye clinic based at Bradford Royal Infirmary. My work experience consisted of spending time with optometrists and ophthalmologists which contributed to my knowledge of the eye. I shadowed optometrists who gave me an overview of this role which made me more passionate to study this subject. I also accompanied ophthalmologists to theatres where I saw surgeries performed on the eye.
During my time I heard patients speak about their problem and explained how it’s affecting their everyday life which made me feel empathetic and stemmed a hope to help in the future. Furthermore, during comprehensive eye examinations, I was able to see the magnification of the eye and received information about how the equipment’s work. I came across the phoropter instrument which determines eyeglass prescriptions and also came across another equipment which was the tonometer used to measure the pressure of the eye during the presence of yellow drops an essential process to detect glaucoma. Luckily I was able to look down a tonometer with the support of a teaching tube which showed me a magnified image of the eye leading to great fascination.
Although I was appreciative of the eye and its functions I discovered more information, I saw the retina of a patients eye where I learnt it is light-sensitive layer of tissue lining the inside of the eye and sends visual messages through the optic nerve to the brain and also saw the optic nerve of a patient which is an essential nerve to connect the eye to the brain for visual processing. This contribution to my knowledge has intensely affected my desire to study optometry and has authenticated my drive to succeed in this field. I have also carried out a placement at a special needs school for a week in 2017 where I worked with children aged between 5 and 6. My placement taught me essential communication skills for people with a diversity of needs, I was able to practice non-verbal communication and engaged them in activities through messages that made sense to them, such as images.
In my spare time I have participated in a range of activities that also allow me to be involved with helping people, I have volunteered at my own school upon many occasions such as open evening where I communicated with a diverse population, an essential skill that can contribute to my role as an optometrist. I am an enthusiastic, self-motivated and hardworking individual who is able to work well in both a team environment and well a using my own initiative. The role of an optometrist is full of physical and emotional trials faced on a daily basis, but yet this creates a dynamic profession which is one of the most rewarding. My belief and determination to succeed within this profession will help make an immense difference to the lives of the future. I look forward to the challenges and variety of experiences that await me in higher education and university life.
