February 26, 2025
Women In Optometry (WO) released a new report that reviews some of the changes and challenges facing the optometric profession.
Supported by Alcon, the 20-page report, Changes & Challenges: The Evolving Optometric Workforce, includes data insights, personal experiences and perspectives about optometry’s future.
The report covers broad data points, including the changes in the optometric workforce over the past few decades and how optometry school enrollment and retirements will impact the makeup of the workforce.
The report also examines the nearly flat growth of ophthalmologists, highlighting the critical role that optometrists will play in providing accessible eyecare in the future. Technology advancements, such as teleoptometry, are already having an impact and are likely to grow.
Personal experiences of ODs help illustrate some ways that optometrists can shape their optometric careers in ways that may not have been possible in the past. In addition, the report includes a section on financial issues, including a burgeoning student loan debt and income parity issues.
“For years, Women In Optometry has shared data and personal experiences about the evolving landscape. While patient care remains the core focus for all stakeholders, the ways in which it can be delivered continue to expand,” says WO Editor in Chief Marjolijn Bijlefeld. “Advances in technology and shifts in practice models ensure that optometry remains dynamic, adaptable and responsive to the changing needs of both eyecare professionals and patients. As the pace of change accelerates, the profession will continue to evolve in ways we can only begin to anticipate.”
