How to become a pediatric optometrist

How to become a Pediatric Optometrist

Becoming a pediatric optometrist involves completing standard optometry education and then pursuing additional training and clinical experience in children’s vision care. Here’s an overview of the pathway to the career:

Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Most students complete a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field such as biology, physiology, or health science. Prerequisite courses usually include biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

Take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
The Optometry Admission Test is a standardized examination designed to measure general academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. The OAT is sponsored by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) for applicants seeking admission to an optometry program. All schools and colleges of optometry in the United States and the University of Waterloo, Canada (the only provider of English-language instruction for optometry in Canada) require the OAT.

The OAT consists of four tests: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry), Reading Comprehension, Physics, and Quantitative Reasoning.

Complete a Doctor of Optometry (OD) Degree
This is a four-year professional program, required both in the United States and Canada, encompasses classroom learning in optics, anatomy, diseases of the eye, pharmacology, and vision science. Clinical rotations, often including pediatrics, provide practical, hands-on experience.

To become a registered optometrist in the UK, you must complete a General Optical Council (GOC)-approved optometry degree and then undertake a 12-18-month pre-registration training scheme, which involves practical experience.

Obtain Licensure
You must pass a licensing exam to practise:

• US – Pass the three-part exam series administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). Part I: Applied Basic Science, which tests fundamental knowledge of ocular and systemic systems; Part II: Patient Assessment and Management (PAM), which evaluates clinical decision-making through case studies; and Part III: Patient Encounters and Performance Skills (PEPS), which assesses practical clinical abilities in patient interactions and skills. Canadians who wish to pursue a residency in the US must complete the NBEO exam.
• Canada – The Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) administers the registration and jurisprudence exams required to practise optometry in Canada.
• UK – Pass the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and then register with the general Optical Council to practise.

Complete a Residency in Pediatric Optometry or Pediatric Vision Therapy (Optional but Highly Recommended)
These 12-month-long post-doctoral programs are designed for optometrists who want to specialize in children’s eye care.

The residency provides advanced clinical experience that focuses on pediatric eye care and the management of vision disorders involving amblyopia/strabismus, traumatic brain injury, developmental delays, and vision related learning difficulties. Residents gain experience in further developing skills in the treatment and management of the above conditions including myopia management, pediatric ocular pathology, neuro optometry, and the development of vision rehabilitation plans.

Pursue Certifications
While ‘pediatric optometry’ isn’t a formal optometric specialty that can be board certified in the same way as some other medical fields, optometrists can pursue a variety of credentials to demonstrate advanced expertise beyond general optometry practice. Here’s a look at some of the most respected certifications:

• Board Certified Optometrist / ABO Diplomate – This certification, awarded by the American Board of Optometry (ABO), requires graduating from an accredited optometry school, completing a residency or qualifying points, and passing a comprehensive exam.
• ABO Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) – The ABO’s CAQ program allows Diplomates to earn added secondary credentials in two areas: Glaucoma and Cornea/Contact Lenses.
• Certified Optometric Vision Therapist (COVT) – This certification in vision development, vision therapy, and vision rehabilitation is offered by the Optometric Vision Development & Rehabilitation Association (OVDRA) and administered by its International Examination and Certification Board. It focuses on treating conditions like amblyopia, strabismus, and convergence insufficiency.
• Certified Myopia Management Navigator (CMN) – The CMN designation is an accreditation offered by the American Academy of Orthokeratology & Myopia Control (AAOMC) to eyecare paraprofessionals seeking to develop a basic understanding of myopia (nearsightedness) management and orthokeratology (a non-surgical eye treatment that uses specially designed rigid contact lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea).
• Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Fellowship – This program was established for the membership of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) to develop and support the highest level of clinical abilities and scientific knowledge in the field of neuro-optometric rehabilitation (a personalized, non-invasive treatment for vision problems resulting from brain injuries, neurological conditions like stroke or Parkinson's disease, or developmental delays). It is not a certification process but rather a learning process to help the individual clinician develop deeper knowledge and understanding about neuro-optometric rehabilitation with a multi-disciplinary approach. Upon completion of all three levels of the program, participants are presented with the designation Fellow of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (FNORA). Individuals may also choose to attend the live Foundations of Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation (Level 1) and Clinical Applications of Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation (Level 2) courses without enrolling in the NORA Fellowship program. These courses are invaluable for developing the foundation knowledge of neuro-optometric rehabilitation.

Continue Professional Development
Pediatric optometrists often pursue continuing education courses in child vision, special needs care, or early childhood screening to maintain expertise and meet licensing requirements.

Professional Organizations
In addition to the certifying bodies referenced above in the Certifications section, the following organizations also support pediatric optometrists and the broader optometric community:

• American Academy of Optometry – Binocular Vision, Perception and Pediatric Optometry Section – fostering and conducting clinical, educational, and research activities in binocular vision, visual information processing, and pediatric optometry
• American Optometric Association (AOA) – the leading professional organization for doctors of optometry, optometry students, and paraoptometric staff
• Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) – supporting pediatric optometrists with clinical guidelines, continuing education, and advocacy in Canada
• World Council of Optometry (WCO) – an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting eye health and vision care as a human right by advancing the optometric profession globally through advocacy, education, and humanitarian outreach
• Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF) – an international non-profit organization founded in 1928 dedicated to advancing optometry through continuing education, publications, and the promotion of vision therapy and behavioral optometry, a specialized area of eye care that views vision as a learned skill involving the entire visual system, including the brain and body, rather than just eyesight or visual acuity