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Optometrists
(SOC Code : 29-1041)
in Santa Barbara County

Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a First professional degree .

Santa Barbara County is part of the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA, which includes Santa Barbara and Santa Maria-Santa Barb counties.
Occupational Wages[Top]
AreaYearPeriodHourly MeanHourly by Percentile
25thMedian75th
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA20231st Qtr$61.52$51.60$62.59$67.17
Data for Santa Barbara County are not available. Data for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA has been substituted.

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")[Top]
 AreaEstimated Year-Projected YearEmploymentEmployment ChangeTotal Job Openings
EstimatedProjectedNumberPercent
Santa Barbara County 2018 - 202850702040.040

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange[Top]
 
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Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority[Top]
License Title
License Authority
Optometry LicenseDepartment of Consumer Affairs
Board of Optometry
http://www.optometry.ca.gov

About Licenses
 
Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)[Top]
Industry Title
Number of Employers in Santa Barbara County
Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 92041.8%
Offices of Physicians 68323.0%
Private Colleges, Universities, an5812.9%
Outpatient Care Centers 1397.0%

About Staffing Patterns
 
Data for Training Programs not available.

About Training & Apprenticeships
 
About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)[Top]
Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)
Examine eyes, using observation, instruments and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities such as glaucoma or color blindness.
Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.
Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses and other vision aids.
Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.
Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements and safety factors.
Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
Prescribe therapeutic procedures to correct or conserve vision.
Provide vision therapy and low vision rehabilitation.

More Tasks for Optometrists

Top Skills used in this Job
Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others` actions.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others` reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

More Skills for Optometrists

Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

More Abilities for Optometrists

Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)
Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.
Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious.

More WorkValues for Optometrists

Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

More Interests for Optometrists

Alternate Titles
Doctors of Optometry (OD); Eye Doctors; and Optometry Doctors
 
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