How much medical training does the O.D. receive?
The training of the optometrist is that of a primary eye care provider. However, the fundamental philosophy of professional optometric education is equivalent to that of all other health care professional programs, including medicine, dentistry, osteopathy and podiatry.

The biomedical and the clinical sciences are taught in the classroom, applied in the clinics and refined through internships, externships and residencies. Also, since the eye is not separate from the rest of the body, O.D.s learn how to recognize ocular manifestations of systemic diseases. Optometrists use this background to recognize systemic problems and seek consultation or make a referral for their patients as needed. In the clinical setting the optometric student works with a variety of health care and medical professionals who teach him or her how to recognize these conditions. Such professionals include ophthalmologists, neurologists, internists and pediatricians, as well as other educators. Students learn how to function as primary eye care providers who take an active role in the well-being of each patient, including arranging consultations of referrals to other professionals.

To summarize, optometric education has evolved into a comprehensive program of learning at the level of the classroom, laboratory and clinical setting. Today's optometry students are trained to treat a variety of visual and ocular disorders and diseases. This training occurs in multiple settings which prepare them to independently treat, manage, and/or co-manage patient problems.