31111 Optometrists

What this occupation covers

Optometrists examine eyes to assess and diagnose ocular diseases and disorders. They prescribe and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses and recommend treatments such as exercises to correct vision problems or ocular disorders. They work in private practice, hospitals, clinics, community health centres, rehabilitation centres, the optical industry, government and universities.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 9 main duties for this code.

• Examine patients' eyes, conduct tests and use ophthalmoscopes, biomicroscopes and other specialized instruments to determine ocular health and visual efficiency
• Prescribe and provide treatment (excluding surgery) to maintain, improve and correct vision and manage other ocular diseases and disorders
• Prescribe, dispense and fit eyeglasses, contact lenses and other visual aids
• Educate, counsel and advise patients on contact lens use and care, ocular hygiene, surgical and non-surgical options, and preventive care and maintenance related to occupation and lifestyle
• Refer patients to ophthalmologists or other physicians and surgeons for treatment of ocular diseases or conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration and systemic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure
• Collaborate with ophthalmologists and other healthcare professionals to provide pre- and post-operative care for patients undergoing eye surgeries such as laser vision correction
• May prescribe from a limited list of medications
• Conduct research and promote advancement in the visual sciences.
• Optometrists may specialize in fitting visual aids for people who are partially blind, fitting contact lenses or correcting special vision problems.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 9 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 32129 Other medical technologists and technicians
• 31101 Specialists in surgery
• 32100 Opticians
• 33109 Other assisting occupations in support of health services
• 31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
• 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating

Excluded from this code

• Ocularist (See 32129 Other medical technologists and technicians)
• Ophthalmologist (See 31101 Specialists in surgery)
• Opticians (See 32100 Opticians)
• Optometric technician (See 33109 Other assisting occupations in support of health services)
• Optometrist assistant (See 33109 Other assisting occupations in support of health services)
• Orthoptist (See 31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals)
• Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating (See 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

doctor of optometry (OD) · optometrist

Employment requirements

• Three years of university undergraduate studies or, in Quebec, completion of a college program in sciences and a four- to five-year university program in optometry are required.
• Licensing by the provincial or territorial regulatory governing body is required.